Make a Memory
by Recovering4life
Summary: He hadn't expected his own daughter to meet her husband at the BAU. That wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't supposed to marry an agent like him and yet today it was happening. Today his only child was marrying Hotchner. AU.HOTCH/OC. Over 130,000 views!
1. One: Goodnight and Go

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! I will get the disclaimer out of the way now. I don't own anything...**

**Second, I would like to welcome you and ask that you give my story a chances. I took major liberties with characters and the story in general. My imagination likes to go into over drive some times. This is only my second story and my first Criminal Minds story so be gentle. I scare easily. If you don't like it, please don't leave a nasty post. If you do like it, leave me a post anyway:) They make me happy. **

**I hope you like the story and leave a review!All errors are my own:( Sorry!  
><strong>**R4L**

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><p><strong><em>"It is never to late to have a happy childhood." ~ Tim Robbins<em>**

**Chapter One: Goodnight and Go**

_"...Why'd you have to be so cute?_  
><em>It's impossible to ignore you<em>  
><em>Must you make me laugh so much?<em>  
><em>It's bad enough we get along so well<em>  
><em>Say goodnight and go<em>

_Follow you home_  
><em>You've got your headphones on<em>  
><em>And you're dancing<em>  
><em>Got lucky, beautiful shot<em>  
><em>You're taking everything off<em>  
><em>Watch the curtains, wide open<em>  
><em>And you fall in the same routine<em>  
><em>Flicking through the TV<em>  
><em>Relaxed and reclining<em>  
><em>And you think you're alone<em>

_Oh, why'd you have to be so cute?_  
><em>It's impossible to ignore you <em>  
><em>Must you make me laugh so much?<em>  
><em>It's bad enough we get along so well<em>  
><em>Say goodnight and go..."<em>

**~ "Goodnight and Go" - Imogen Heap**

"Daddy push me," the little girl said laughing as she ran towards the swing set in the back yard. Her long milk chocolate colored hair flying out from behind her as the bow that had been in her hair earlier fluttered to the ground. She looked behind her and saw Maria, the housekeeper, coming out of the house walking towards her father who had reached the swing set. She knew that look. Whenever Maria had that look on her face Daddy always had to go away. Her daddy lifted her and set her into the swing.

"You always manage to get that ribbon out of your hair somehow," the man said bending over to pick up the blue ribbon by the swing. He smiled at the girl before pocketing the ribbon to put away later. Grabbing hold of the chains that held the swing, he pulled the girl back before pushing her gently.

"Maria's coming," the little girl said as he gave her another gentle push.

"I know. Are you and Maria going to visit your mother this afternoon?"

"Mother didn't want to see me last Sunday, why would she want to see me this Sunday?" the little girl asked as her shoulders slumped forward.

The older man couldn't help but know the little girl had a point. Gianna Montenegro had never cared for her own daughter. It had been hard enough to keep her clean and sober when she had been pregnant but now it was impossible to get her to see her daughter. During the pregnancy, Gianna had to be watched every minute by his then new housekeeper Maria. No matter what they did when she had been pregnant, they had still had a few scares with Gianna. Once his daughter had been born, Gianna had abandoned her baby before she had even been a week old. Now nearly seven years later, Gianna had married a wealthy man who only fed her addictions and kept her happy with a large bank account. Every Sunday, Maria would take Claire down to the town house where her mother lived and would leave her cookies or flowers which were never accepted by the girl's mother. Gianna's husband, a wealthy banker, adored children and was always there to see and visit the little girl when she came. As his daughter had gotten older though, the Sunday visits had become less and less exciting as they used to be. When she was younger, his daughter had always been hopeful that maybe it would be the day that her mother would finally see her. Now as a seven year old, his daughter was finally getting the message her mother had always intended for her to receive.

_I don't want you._

"Why don't we go to the toy store this afternoon and pick out a few new out fits for your doll?"

The little girl stopped the swing and turned to look at him. Her bright, blue eyes filled with excitement at the thought of the toy shop.

"Really! We can go?"

"Yes if that's what you want," he told her as he smiled back at her.

She hopped off the swing and wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him.

"Thank you! Marianne would never let me go to the store! She always said that I was spoiled because I got a monthly trip there. She said that toys were only for birthdays and Christmas. But I knew she was wrong! Thank you!"

He frowned at the mention of his ex-wife. When it came to women, he clearly had a way of picking bad ones. Marianne was his second wife and they had only been married a year when she announced she wanted a divorce stating that she couldn't put up with his work and his little brat. She had definitely gotten a divorce after that argument. Their fights had gotten so bad towards the end of their marriage that Maria had taken his daughter away for some nights and they had spent those night at the beach house about an hour south from their home.

"Clarissa Elizabeth! What happened to your bow?" Maria's voice boomed out from across the yard. Clarissa, or Claire like she preferred, turned around quickly and snapped to attention. Her hands went behind her back and looked at the voluptuous southern woman sashaying across the yard towards them.

"It fell out again Maria. It's no big deal," he said as he took the bow out of his pocket and tied it back into Claire's ponytail.

"I'm sorry to be disturbing you and Claire, but you have a phone call from the Bureau and the man said it was urgent," Maria said as she inspected Claire's dress and hair.

"Why don't we go inside and you have your lunch while I take this call then we can talk about going to the toy store?"

Claire nodded as she took his offered hand and the three of them walked back into the house.

Twenty minutes later, he walked back into the kitchen to see Claire sitting on a chair kicking her legs in the air as she ate her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Ah! Sir, I just finished making your sandwich. Sit down," Maria said.

In truth, the woman was a life saver. While he was away on cases she stayed here with Claire and took care of her and the house. She was the only motherly figure Claire had ever known and he was glad that it was Maria. She was kind, loving, generous but also determined, fair and graceful. All qualities he hoped that Claire would one day possess. Claire's smiling face met his and he felt like he was about to break the little girl's heart for the hundredth time.

"I can't sit Maria. I'm sorry, there's a work related emergency and they've asked for my help."

He watched as Claire's smile immediately fell and she looked down at her sandwich. Crouching down next to her, he gently rubbed her back and kissed her head.

"Hey, you can still go to the toy store with Maria. I'll leave money with her and I'll be home soon. Can you at least smile for me Claire bear?"

The little girl lifted her head and gave him a big smile, "I can. Are you going to catch bad guys?"

"Yes. I am."

Claire turned and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tight again.

"Can you promise me you'll catch him?" she whispered into his ear.

"I promise."

He stood and patted the top of her head and went to go pack his bag. Leaving Claire had only gotten harder as she had gotten older. Every moment he got with her was precious and every time he was with her he always let her know that she was his center of his world. Coming back down stairs he saw Maria and Claire standing at the front door. Claire held his badge and ID. Walking to her again he picked her up and kissed her cheeks as he snuck money to Maria to slip into her pocket.

"I see you have my accessories. May I have them?" he asked ticking her belly.

"Yes," she giggled as he set her down and took the badge and ID and slid them into his pocket. Giving her one last hug he picked up his bag and saw that the car was pulling into the driveway. Opening the front door and walking towards he stopped when he heard Claire call him.

"Daddy, I forgot," she said as he crouched down in front of her and she kissed his check, "I love you lots."

"I love you lots too Claire. I've got to go now."

She nodded and stepped back running back to Maria and waved at him as he got in the passenger seat of the car. Waving back as the car backed out he smiled at her as she ran across the lawn and stood on the curb as they pulled on to the street…

"Dad… Dad!"

He looked up from the picture of a seven year old Claire and looked at the twenty-seven year old version of her, jarred from the memory. She had become a beautiful woman. Elbow length milk chocolate colored hair that was straight. Her big blue eyes were as blue as the summer sky and her skin had tanned more from all the time she had spent in the sun.

"I was asking if you wanted to put the pictures in a spare box."

"Yeah I would but wait till after lunch. Grab the box now though."

She turned to retrieve a box but was met with a solid white shirt and a red tie. Colliding, the two nearly fell over had it not been for the man reaching out and grabbing Claire's elbows to steady them.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," she said with a nervous smile.

"It's fine. I'm just as much at fault, maybe more," the man answered back letting of her and entered the office.

"Hotchner, I see you have managed to nearly knock over my daughter. Claire this is SSA Aaron Hotchner. Aaron, my daughter Claire, she came to help me with the office cleaning party."

"It's nice to meet you Claire," Hotch said extending a hand and shaking hers.

"It's nice to meet you too. I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things I hope," he said as he flashed his dimpled smile.

"I don't think he's said a bad thing about you yet in the two years you've been here," Claire flashed a bright smile his way.

"What do you have for me Hotchner?"

Not missing a beat, Hotch returned to his normal serious self. Claire had gotten a dimpled smile out of Hotchner and that was close to impossible. The man hardly smiled in the time that he had known him except for the few times that Hotchner had used the smile when he needed a favor and turned on the charm for the ladies to get something done in the field. Rumor was that some woman had broken his heart years ago when she refused to marry him because of his profession.

"I came up to tell you that the director is on line one and wanted to speak with you. I also came to let you know that I'm taking a lunch break."

"That's fine," he said, "Claire you are probably going to have to fend for yourself for lunch. I've been avoiding this call for a while and it will probably take some time."

"That's fine. I'll just go run and get some Chinese."

"I was going to head down to the cafeteria. You could join me if you wanted to. I could keep you company while you wait for your father," Hotch offered, something about this woman made him courageous enough to ask it in front of her father and his boss.

"I would love that. Let me just grab my wallet—"

"I'll pay for it. It's no big deal.

She nodded and looked at her father one last time.

"I'll see you later dad," she said as she exited the room followed by Hotchner.

He honestly hadn't seen that power play coming. When it came to criminals and killers he could work ahead of them and figure out their next move in his sleep. When it came to his daughter, well he was still learning after twenty-seven years. Once she left of course he would interrogate Hotchner. Maybe even take him down to one of the interrogation rooms and make him sweat. The man had charmed her and asked her out to lunch right under his nose and he had given Hotchner the opportunity to do it too.

Lifting up the phone he pressed the button for the line that connected directly to the director.

"Hello, this is SSA David Rossi. I need to speak with the director please…Thank you."

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><p><strong>Okay. Chapter one is done...give me some reviews and tell me what you think...<strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	2. Two: Begin Again

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Guys! Thank you to my one person who reviewed. I'm not sure what you guys think of the story so far and I would really love some feedback. I know that people are subscribing and I'm happy that you guys like it that much but I would love a review!**

**I would like to once again remind everyone that I'm taking HUGE liberties with the characters and the show! If you don't like it please don't leave a nasty comment, no one is forcing you to read this. If you are reading and you do like I would love some reviews! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

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><p><em>Where there is love, there is pain. ~Spanish Proverb<em>

**Chapter Two: Begin Again**

_"...And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid_  
><em> I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did<em>  
><em> I've been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does<em>  
><em> Is break and burn and end<em>  
><em> But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again<em>

_ You said you never met one girl_  
><em> Who has as many James Taylor records as you<em>  
><em> But I do<em>  
><em> We tell stories and you don't know why I'm coming off a little shy<em>  
><em> But I do<em>

_ But you throw your head back laughing like a little kid _  
><em> I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did<em>  
><em> I've been spending the last eight months thinking all love ever does<em>  
><em> Is break and burn and end<em>  
><em> But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again<em>

_ And we walk down the block to my car_  
><em> And I almost brought him up<em>  
><em> But you start to talk about the movies<em>  
><em> That your family watches every single Christmas<em>  
><em> And I won't talk about that<em>  
><em> For the first time, what's past is past..."<em>

**~ "Begin Again" - Taylor Swift**

They stood in line with their trays as they waited for the man in front of them to pay.

"Does this feel like high school all over again or is it me?" Claire whispered to him as they stood side by side. She heard him chuckle again; she liked the sound of it. It wasn't forced or faked. It was genuine. She had the feeling that he didn't laugh much but he given his occupation there wasn't much to laugh about.

"I didn't buy lunch often at school. But from the few distinct times I remember buying lunch this is close."

"I never packed a lunch. Once I hit high school I tried to be a rebel in all the ways that counted. I figured that if I hit my dad's bank accounts as hard as I could maybe then he would call me on my behavior. Never happened, instead he just plumped up my weekly money."

"I can't believe that you never packed a lunch," Hotch said shaking his head as he moved up to the cashier and handed her a twenty. Turning around they fell in step and looked for a place to sit.

"Just like high school there is no place to sit. Maybe outside?" Claire said after they had scanned the cafeteria thoroughly for a place to sit.

Hotch didn't reply but guided them both to the door and out onto the patio area to an open table. They both sat down and started eating in silence before Claire spoke up and asked him about his high school.

"I was the blend in with the crowd type. It was a small public school and offered up enough recreational activities to keep us all out of trouble," Hotch said as the warm spring air blew against them. He could smell whatever perfume she wore and it reminded him of the smell of lavender, flowers and freshly fallen rain. She was beautiful; he wasn't going to deny it at all. Sitting across from him in a light blue summer dress, he could tell that she had a beautiful body with curves in all the right places. Her smile and laughter was infectious and her blue eyes were brought out by the dress. It was no wonder why Rossi never spoke of his daughter; he probably had to beat guys off of her in his spare time.

"I went to a Catholic high school. It was brutal. Everyone one was after the king and queen bee seat. Forget the whole love thy neighbor thing. It was more of a 'who could kill thy neighbor's reputation and steal their goods' mentality," she said with a smile.

"Now that I hear that I think I actually like my high school better now," Hotch said.

Clare laughed, "It wasn't so bad. I mean, sure I went to school with all the kid who are now the dirt bags of the lobbyists but I learned how to swim."

"Did you play sports in high school?"

"I did soccer, track, cross country, even gymnastics. All the running sports, I would always do it as a way to annoy my dad. He hated it that I was always doing something. He called me a bean stock because I ran so much I literally became a twig in high school."

Hotch chuckled again as Claire recounted a story of Rossi hiding her tennis shoe so that she couldn't run for the day and how she destroyed the house trying to find them. They spent most of the hour swapping information and getting to know each other. She learned that he had one brother named Sean and that he collected coins as a kid. Hotch was a person who enjoyed quiet mornings and his coffee. In return Hotch learned that Claire was an only child, and had always wanted a pet but never got one as a child. He also learned that Claire, like himself enjoyed puzzles and had a book of crossword puzzles that she kept with her always. They had become so engrossed in each other that they hardly remembered finishing lunch and walking back to the elevator. On the ride up they had swapped numbers and Hotch had asked her to dinner the next night which was Saturday. Claire had agreed and they had made plans to meet at the restaurant. They parted ways at the elevator, him to his desk and her to Rossi's office to help finish packing. Claire closed Rossi's door and smiled as she leaned against it.

"I take it the cafeteria is serving the most amazing lunch today," Rossi said sarcastically as he raised an eyebrow at Claire who smirked back at him.

"Jealousy doesn't become you," Claire said knowing that it would push his buttons further.

"I'm not jealous. I'm just concerned. I don't want you becoming involved with an FBI agent. Did you learn nothing from my relationships about how well relationships and the FBI work together?" Rossi replied calmly while seething inside. Claire was good at shooting emotional arrows and they rarely missed their mark. The way to beat her at their game of cat and mouse was to never let it show that she had gotten to him.

"Dad it's my life. If I choose to give Agent Hotchner my phone number and let him take me out to dinner and possibly back to his apartment later, well then so be it."

Rossi dropped the shoe box full of office supplies and looked at Claire wide eyed while she gazed back at him with faked innocents.

"You're going on a date with him as in dinner-where-he-pays-and-it-counts-as-a-date-to-a-woman-kind-of-date?"

"What other kind of date is there?" Claire asked as she began packing up the pictures that still needed to be put away.

"I'm just concerned about you being involved with him. If you go back to his house you're dead."

Claire laughed again, "I'm twenty-seven, not sixteen. You don't scare me anymore. Besides Aaron seems like a really nice guy and I want to spend more time with him, it's not like I'm running off and marrying the guy. "

"You're on a first name bases with him too?" Rossi nearly yelled, the vein in his temple was throbbing.

"What am I supposed to call him? Hotchner? Agent Hotch?" Claire rolled her eyes at him, "Aaron asked me to call him that so I agreed I would."

Rossi collapsed into the desk chair and looked at Claire as she continued to put the pictures away. He obviously wasn't going to persuade her to change her mind. She looked genuinely excited and happy since her break up with Anthony George. She had dated the Boston based lawyer since sophomore year of college until after New Year's Eve when he had told her that he was going to marry another woman who was pregnant with his second child. George had admitted that the affair with the other woman had been going on for almost two years and that he had a one year old son with the woman also. It had been the first time that Claire had ever come to his door step sobbing in the middle of the night. He had barely understood what she had said but got the general idea that her heart had been trampled on and broken. Even now five months later in May, Claire sometimes still had a sad air about her. Rossi hoped that Claire would never experience heart break like that again. It was painful to watch his baby girl hurt like she was hurting.

"I just want you to be happy Claire," Rossi said defeat, "I don't want to see my little girl hurt again."

Claire stopped and set down the picture she was holding before turning and smiling a bright smile that reached her excited blue eyes. Walking towards him, Claire sat down in the vacant chair on the opposite side of the desk. Putting her sandal clad feet on the desk and crossing them at her ankles she leaned back.

"You know what Maria told me earlier in the week? That the more and more sorry I felt from myself, my failed relationship and the incident, the more power I gave to Anthony. I thought about it. I'm done with him and that chapter of my life. When my lease on my apartment is over at the end of the year I'm moving back here to be closer to you and Maria and I'm going to close that chapter of my life. I think that five months of a pity-party is more than enough. Like I said earlier, I liked Aaron and I think I'll have a fun date tomorrow. Now quit worrying Daddy and please help me finish packing. I told Laura I'd meet her for coffee around three and it's close to one-thirty now."

Rossi looked at his little girl again before nodding and standing to finish packing. They finished in a comfortable silence by two-thirty and managed to take the four boxes that once contained David Rossi's office in two trips.

"That's the last of it," Claire said as she closed the trunk of Rossi's car, "I've got to go or I'll be late."

"God forbid you're late to coffee with Laura," Rossi said amused at Claire's punctuality.

"Hey! She's my best friend and I like spending time with her. Now if it's having to go to dinner with your friends, that I can be late to. All you guys talk about is crime scene. I've grow up talking about it none stop, I want a different subject. Maybe then I'll show up on time."

Rossi shook his head and walked Claire to her rental car and made sure that she had left the parking garage safely before heading back up to the BAU.

Sighing he sat back down at the desk in the now empty office. He lost himself in the memories the office held.

"Reminiscing?" Hotchner's deep voice brought Rossi out of his thoughts.

Looking up at Hotchner he shook his head, "I was thinking about how many times I've chewed your ass out in this office and how much I'm gonna miss doing it. Wait, I forgot you're taking my daughter out to dinner tomorrow night. Just the present I wanted on my last Friday here." Rossi said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry if I offended you—"

"You didn't offend me for Christ's sake. I'm glad you're finally getting to dating. For a long time there I thought that you had given up on dating after all that supposed bullshit with that other woman or that you were secretly gay."

Hotch sat down in the chair that Clare had been sitting in not an hour ago and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. Letting out a deep breath Hotch looked at Rossi with a sad face.

"I did actually for awhile there give up. When I decided that I wanted to join the bureau I was dating a woman named Hailey. She and I had been high school sweethearts and we were planning to get married. But when I told her what I wanted to do she became angry telling me that I needed to think and not be stupid about throwing away my life as a prosecutor. Truth was, as much as I loved my job at the time, I wasn't happy with it. I told her that I was going to change jobs regardless of what she wanted me to do. We got into a fight and everything ended there. I became a profiler and she moved on to something else. My brother ran into her a few weeks ago, apparently she has a husband, two kids, everything she wanted. As for the whole dating thing, I haven't had time to date. I work for the slave drivers of the world. I can count on my hand how many times I've been on a date since moving here in the past two years," Hotch said.

"Well, are you happy now?" Rossi asked looking at Hotch with a calm expression.

"I'm happy," Hotch said quietly, "I have a job I love, a nice home, family here. What more could I ask for?"

Rossi groaned and stood, "Here we're having a final heart to heart and you're dragging my kid out on a date tomorrow and I should be using my last day as your superior to kick your ass. Right, you might be a thirty-three year old man but I want you to know. Break her heart and I'll come after you with my gun. After so many years in this business I think I can hide a murder and make it look like an accident really well."

Hotch chuckled and stood. Sticking his hands in his pocket, he smiled a friendly smile.

"You've practically taught me everything there is to know about profiling and have been a good person to me. You should know by now I'm not in the business of breaking heart but rather saving them. Now you're party should be starting soon, remember to look surprised."

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><p><strong>Leave a review and tell me what you think about eveyone's heartbreak...<strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	3. Three: Stand

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hello Again! I thank you to all those who have reviewed so far. :) I'm really happy that so far you are enjoying the story. I just want to once again for the third and final time remind everyone that this is extreamly AU. If you dont like, you don't have to read it and please don't leave a nasty comment. No one likes getting one of those in their email box. **

**FYI: These first few chapters are fast paced. I will be doing a lot of jumping in time but once we get into the thick of the plot it will slow down some. I will be following the tv show to a degree. Like a friend of my pointed out to me today, I've really just replaced Hailey that's it.**

**I don't own anything...all errors are my own though, sorry. :(**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think so far...**

**R4L**

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><p><em>Women still remember the first kiss after men have forgotten the last. ~Remy de Gourmont<em>

**Chapter Three: Stand**

_"...'Cause when push  
>Comes to shove<br>You taste what you're made of  
>You might bend<br>Till you break  
>'Cause it's all you can take<br>On your knees  
>You look up<br>Decide you've had enough  
>You get mad<br>You get strong  
>Wipe your hands<br>Shake it off  
>Then you stand<br>Then you stand_

_Life's like a novel  
>With the end ripped out<br>The edge of a canyon  
>With only one way down<br>Take what you're given  
>Before it's gone<br>Start holding on  
>Keep holding on<em>

_'Cause when push  
>Comes to shove<br>You taste what you're made of  
>You might bend<br>Till you break  
>'Cause it's all you can take<br>On your knees  
>You look up<br>Decide you've had enough  
>You get mad<br>You get strong  
>Wipe your hands<br>Shake it off  
>Then you stand<br>Then you stand..."_

**~ "Stand" - Rascal Flatts**

Hotch stood in the waiting area of the busy restaurant and glanced nervously at the door. He and Claire had agreed to meet at the casual local Chinese restaurant at seven and it was seven now. For the first time in a while he felt honest nervousness at the thought of having a date. When he and Rossi had talked yesterday about dating he had been honest with the guy. He hadn't been on many dates in awhile and felt like he forgot how dates were supposed to go. Hell, picking out something to wear had been tough. If his brother could have seen him he would have been rolling on the ground laughing hysterically. After ten minutes of just standing at his closet looking, Hotch had decided to just where a blue polo shirt and casual pants. Glancing at his watch, only a minute had passed. He looked around and watched the busy patrons eat and talk. Some of them laughing and some of them looking like there were other things that they wished they were doing.

"How long is the wait?" Claire's voice said from next to him. Glancing down he saw her smile at him and he felt himself smile back. She was beautiful. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she looked comfortable in a forest green halter top and jeans for the abonormally warm May night.

"The guy said about twenty minutes. Which considering the restaurant in question is pretty good time," Hotch said naturally drawing her close to him as people shifted around the waiting area to let more people in and other out.

"Good. I hope it's not longer I'm starving. How was the rest of your last day with Rossi as your boss?" Claire asked with a bright smile.

"He was much easier than Gideon the new unit chief ever will be. You never told me what you did for a living," Hotch said realizing there was a lot about Claire that he didn't know.

"I work as a nurse. I was dating this guy up until New Year's that lived in Boston. I work at a hospital there. I plan on moving back here after my lease runs out in November."

"What kind of work in the nursing field do you do?" He felt as if someone had pulled the rug up from under him as he thought about the fact that she lived in Boston.

"I work in the ER. Although when I was a teenager I always wanted to be a math teacher."

Hotch nodded because he could see her as a teacher. Hell, she would be an amazing teacher; she had the personality for it.

"Why didn't you become one?" He asked as they once again shifted to make room for others.

"I realized that I would have to put up with teenagers for the rest of my life that were just like the people I went to school with and quickly decided that there was no way in hell that I was going to keep reliving high school as an adult."

Hotch laughed, "Good point. When I was a kid I always wanted to be a lawyer. In a way I guess you can say I achieved it. In fact in some ways I went well above and over that dream."

"Hotchner," the host called for them and quickly seated them.

As they flipped through the menu Hotch snuck a glance at her. She was tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear and he desperately wanted to know what her skin felt like as she unknowingly dropped her hand to her neck. He felt an attraction that he honestly hadn't felt in a long time.

"So any idea of what's good here?" she asked looking up from her menu at him.

"I've never been here in a while so I wouldn't know what to tell you."

They lapsed into silence and went back to reading the menu. A waiter stopped by and got them drinks and took their orders a while later.

"So how'd you end up in Boston?" Hotch asked curiously, "I mean you don't seem like a Red Sox's fan at all."

She chuckled at his joke and Hotch couldn't help the pride that filled his chest. It felt good to know he still had it in him to make a woman laugh a little.

"I dated this guy back in college and he was a lawyer. He got accepted to this firm in Boston after we graduated and I found a job at one of the local hospitals in the ER. We dated and things just didn't work out. He wanted to have a family right away and at the time I was twenty-three and really just wanted to live without the responsibilities of being a parent. I told him that I really just wanted to wait. I guess that wasn't good enough for him. He and I dated for about five years until around New Years Eve he told me that he was getting married to some secretary that he was having a second child with and already had had a one year old son with. Now that I look back on it all the signs were there I was just in denial and wanted to believe that he could respect me enough to wait till we were both ready. But hey," Clare said with a smile, "You win some and you lose some. My dad's housekeeper Maria used to say that God created pain so that we humans could learn from it."

"Maria sounds like a very smart woman," Hotch said amazed that she had share so much with him after only knowing him for a day. He would have flat out lied if he was in her shoes.

"She is the only woman I know who would take on a whole SWAT team and manage to scare every single one of them. Now tell me this, how did you end up at the BAU?"

"Would you believe me if I told you I used to be a prosecutor and worked on a SWAT team?"

She laughed again and Hotch could feel the smile growing on his face again. He liked hearing her laugh. It made him feel alive in a way he'd never felt before.

"Can you forgive me for being mean towards lawyers and calling a SWAT team weak a moment ago?" Clare asked jokingly.

"Pay for my dinner and I'll forgive anything you say. But back to your question, I was originally a prosecutor and I changed careers and became a member of a SWAT team. I joined the Bureau four years ago, I worked for two years in Seattle as a profiler then I was transferred here to the BAU. I've been here about two years."

"Do you like it here in Virginia? I know it's nothing like the west coast but…"

"I grew up in Virginia. I like it," Hotch said uncomfortably. He didn't like thinking or talking about his childhood at all.

Their food arrived and Claire quickly changed the subject to more happy thoughts.

Hotch found himself laughing more then he could ever remember and enjoying himself more and more. It had probably been the most enjoyable date of his life. Claire had a way of being a truly happy person without even trying. She didn't talk about work after what had been share earlier or badger him to share details of his life that he wasn't ready to share. Instead she listened and always had a way to make him feel at ease and calm with just a smile or simple words. He learned more about the person she was. It amazed he that Claire had won full ride scholarships to colleges for playing Lacrosse and Soccer without the help of Rossi. She was a very talented woman who played piano and loved to watch cartoons. He had even shared with her things about himself that he would never share on a first date like coin collecton from when he was a kid and his dislike of brussel sprouts. They had spent close to two hours at the restaurant talking about anything and everything.

As Hotch hailed a cab for her that night, he held her hand tried to think of some way for the night not to end.

"Thank you for dinner," Claire said as a cab pulled up to the curb of the busy street and stopped, "I really enjoyed myself with you Aaron."

"I did too. When are you going back to Boston?"

Claire gave him a sad smile, "Tomorrow. My flight leaves at seven o'clock in the morning. I wish I could stay longer but I have to work tomorrow night."

"I'll call you tomorrow Claire. What time does your shift start?"

"Six, but you can call me in the afternoon. I'll see you soon Aaron," Claire said gently kissing his cheek, "Don't worry. Just please promise me that you'll stay safe?"

"I'll do my best," he said as they looked at each other. He couldn't help himself as he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. He had never been a fan of public displays of affection but the need to kiss her had been pulling at him all night and he couldn't stop it. When their lips met he felt electricity jump through his veins as she kissed him back, her lips smooth and soft. His hands touched her skin on her hips and it was just as soft as he had imagined it would be as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her shirt was pulled up a little. The sound of the cabbie laying on the horn brought them back to reality. Hotch reluctantly let go of Claire and opened the cab door for her as she slid in.

"After that I'm not sure I want to leave at all," Claire murmured softly to him as he looked at her again safely enclosed in the cab.

"I feel the same way but you have to go back to Boston. Like you said, I'll see you soon," Aaron said reassuringly as he flashed her a dimpled smile.

He stepped back from the cab and watched as it pulled away. He raised a hand and waved goodbye to her as she returned the wave from the rear window in return. He felt for the first time in along time a warm and comforting feeling inside his soul, hope.

* * *

><p><strong>Send a review over and say a prayer that all your first dates end up to be just as good as Hotch and Claire's;)<strong>

**PS: Reviews will get you updates...just saying...**

EDITED 11/29/2013


	4. Four: Good is Good

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hi everyone again! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! I love hearing your feedback! It's great to know that you're enjoying the story so far! Just so you'll know, I'm going to be out of town for the next few days and probably won't have internet access. Gotta love West Virginia! I will try to post another chapter later.**

**FYI-I am going to be time jumping a lot in the first chapters...sorry but I need to move the plot faster to make the story work... **

**Anyhow, I have had a few questions and I wanted to give you guys some quick answers. **

**To shippolove844-I'm not really sure if Jack will be the first born but he will be in it...I thought maybe Hotch has a little girl as a first born. What do you guys think?**

**To Vanillastar- Hotch is 33 and Claire is 27/28 respectivly. There is a five year age diffrence between them. Sorry for the confusion. **

**Anyway, keep the reviews coming! I love them! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry.**

**Happy Reading! **

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in."~Morrie Schwartz<em>

**Chapter Four: Good is Good**

_ And every time you hear the rolling thunder_  
><em>You turn and run before the lightening strikes<em>  
><em>And does it ever make you stop and wonder<em>  
><em>If all your good times have passed you by<em>

_I don't hold no mystery_  
><em>But I can show you how to turn the key<em>  
><em>Cause all I know is where I started<em>  
><em>I was so downhearted<em>  
><em>And that's not where you want to be<em>

_And every time you hear the rolling thunder_  
><em>You turn and run before the lightening strikes<em>  
><em>If you could find a rock to crawl right under <em>  
><em>and let your good times pass you by<em>

_When the day is gone and the world is sleeping_  
><em>And the moon is on its way to shine<em>  
><em>All your friends are gone<em>  
><em>You've got a soul worth keeping<em>  
><em>You feel you don't belong but you don't know why<em>

_And every time you hear the rolling thunder_  
><em>You turn and run before the lightening strikes<em>  
><em>And does it ever make you stop and wonder<em>  
><em>If all your good times have passed you by..."<em>

**~ "Good is Good" - Sheryl Crow**

_Six months later…November…_

"Hotchner," he answered his cell phone as he continued to look at the case file in front of him.

"Hey it's me, do you have a minute?" Claire's smiling voice met his ear.

Closing the case file, Hotch leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah I do. What's going on?"

"I wanted to call and tell you that my flight will land at 9:05 tonight. I tried to email you the information earlier but my phone didn't send it. It's been acting funny lately. And I have a surprise for you."

Hotch smiled at his girlfriend of six months and was tempted to tell her his secret. He already had Rossi's approval to propose. He had gotten that when he and Rossi had gone out to dinner the week before and Hotch had asked him what he thought of the ring. After Rossi nearly choked on his scotch and had given him a very long lecture about the significance of marriage (like he was one to talk about it), Hotch had gotten the okay to propose to Claire. Slipping his hand into his pocket he thumbed the small black box that he always kept on him even if she wasn't there in Virginia. Their relationship was by no means easy; in fact it was frustrating at times. With his work and constant traveling and Claire living in Boston seeing each other was a difficult task. He had flown up to Boston on occasion to see her but they both quickly realized that Hotch needed to be in Virginia in case there was a case at work or some sort of emergency. Claire was the one who had started to fly down to Virginia twice a month to see him. She had reasoned with him that it was easier for her to fly down because she had set work schedules and she could also visit her dad if Hotch was called away. Claire joked that she had so many frequent flier miles that everyone at the airport knew her by name and exactly where she was going. They often resorted to late night phone calls and text messages throughout the time they were apart to stay together. Gideon had made it a joke around the BAU that Hotch was notorious for checking his phone whenever it beeped or rang. Though no one knew that he was even dating a woman much less dating Rossi's daughter. If they knew Hotch would never have peace to work and even in the new offices they had, people still could get into each other's business. He couldn't help it though checking his phone. Claire made it somehow easier to look at death all day and still think that there were good things and good people out in the world.

"What's your surprise?" Hotch asked curious as to what it could be. He knew that she wasn't pregnant. They had talked about marriage and having children, it was something that they both wanted. But they both agreed that marriage should come first. She had teased Hotch constantly about him being old-fashioned but he had just shrugged and pointed out that she was too. But deep down he knew that she appreciated that he wasn't pressuring her to have kids yet. She had told him that she wanted to wait till she was at least thirty to have kids and that was still three years away. He had given a lot of thought about marriage and marriage to Claire especially. Claire was the person that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted to build a family with her and be the one to come home at night wrap her in his arms and kiss her. He found himself once again wanting all those things that he had wanted with Hailey and so much more. The feeling of it was stronger more than it had ever been with his ex. She and Claire were complete opposites both in looks and character. Where Hailey had a flare for the dramatics, Claire was more practical and calm. Unlike Hailey, she understood what this job meant to him. She had once explained to him that she didn't like it when he left on short notice or in the middle of the night but that she understood what he was doing and the fulfillment that he felt in his job. Hotch felt like Claire was the first person outside of the bureau that could truly grasp what he was doing at his job and understood that there was always going to be a job to deal with no matter what. Maybe that's why he had fallen in love with her so hard and so fast. Maybe he loved her so much because he felt like she was the first person that truly understood him and his job and didn't criticize him for it.

"I can't tell you Aaron that would ruin it. I have to get back to work but I promise that I will tell you everything later. Don't be surprised if I'm half asleep and you have to wait till tomorrow to know my surprise," she said with a laugh.

Another thing he loved about her, her ability to see the good in everything even in the dark work that he did. He had known for a long time that humor was one of the coping tools that she used when it came to working in the ER. She too saw thing that were gruesome and just as dark and evil as he did. He remembered when she had flown down a weekend and had shared with him about how a little girl had shown up in the ER with sighs or having been abused and raped by someone but kept telling them that she had simply fallen and that because they had no confession that her parents or anyone had done anything to her and they wouldn't consent to a rape kit there was nothing that they could do. That story had stuck with Hotch because in a way it gave him a greater appreciation for his job. He caught the bad guys where as Claire sometimes could only speculate and take care of those who were hurt. He often times saw the dead bodies in pictures or at a crime scene, but Claire had to see the living and breathing victim and had to talk to them a lot more than he did. So she used humor to help her through everything a trick she told him that she had learned from her father and Gideon.

"Alright, I'll see you at 9:05."

"I love you too Aaron, bye," she said as she disconnected the call.

Setting his cell phone down Hotch resumed his work. He was happy that it was Friday and that the Unit had been put on stand down for the weekend, not to mention he could spend time with Claire and it would be uninterrupted.

* * *

><p>"So what's this big surprise you have?" Hotch asked as he sat down on his bed and removed his shoes and tie. He watched as Claire took off her scrubs and pulled a tank top over her head fighting a yawn. She didn't reply but walked to the other side of the bed and pulled back the comforter to reveal Hotch's crisp clean white sheets of the bed.<p>

"It's always white. Never a cream or a different color it's like everything in your apartment white," she said once she had slid between the sheets and had snuggled down into the covers and fluffy pillows he had. Hotch removed his dress shirt and pants before putting an old t-shirt on and sliding beneath the covers next to Clare, "You should be surprised that the places is clean and there is food in the cupboards and the beds made."

"Have you been that busy?" she asked as Hotch shut the television off and laid on his stomach. The room was illuminated by the lamps on either side of the bed that sat on the night stands. The only noise in the apartment was the sounds of the Friday night life outside in the streets and the couple fighting in the apartment next to his. The cold November wind howled outside but the bedroom was warm and cozy.

Propping her head up on her hand, Claire ran her fingers through his hair gently and watched as he closed his eyes and visible relaxed.

"You are avoiding the question. Now I don't think that you're breaking up with me because if you were you wouldn't be in my bed. What's going on Claire?" Hotch said quietly opening his eyes to look at her. She smiled and continued run her fingers through his hair for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"I applied for a position at the Memorial Hospital. I had an interview there last week and they gave me a job offer. It double what I make now and it's closer to you. It would mean that I would start in two weeks and I'd have to give my notice to the hospital in Boston. I just wanted to know what you thought of it," she said nervously and removed her fingers from his hair. Hotch flipped onto his back and tucked his arm under his head and stared at the ceiling.

"I think you should do it," he replied after a few seconds of thought, "We've always talked about you moving back down here and here's the opportunity. If you're worried about having a place to live Claire you can move in with me. I planned on asking you next January when your lease was up but now seems just as good. How much is it to terminate your lease early?"

"The hospital will pay for my moving expenses they said. I guess they really wanted me that badly. But are you sure that you want me living with you on such short notice. I mean Aaron this is a big step—"

"Coming from the woman who keeps dropping hints about marriage," Hotch snorted, "Claire it is fine, I want you to live here. I want you to be here with me and boss me around and yell at me for god knows what I do. I wouldn't offer if I didn't want you to live with me. So Claire Rossi, I'm asking if you'll move in with me."

Claire laid her head down on his chest and Hotch wrapped his arms around her. They lay in bed for a few silent minutes before Claire sat up and looked down at him.

"Okay, but you're explaining to Maria, the woman who practically raised me, why I'm living in sin," Claire said with a smile.

Hotch shook his head and pulled her back down to him and kissed her. They spent the rest of the night making plans about moving Claire back to Virginia and Hotch began to secretly plan how to propose to Claire. He knew the perfect way to do it.

* * *

><p>"I never knew it was possible for a woman to have so many shoes," Hotch's muffled voice came out from the back of Claire's closet as he helped her pack up the last of her apartment. The apartment was for the most part empty. In nearly a week Claire had managed to clean out the majority of her things and sell most of the furniture. Almost everything was packed and all that was left was for everything to be moved. Hotch had flown from Virginia and had taken a personal day to help Claire move everything back so that she could spend the weekend settling into her new home before starting work on Monday.<p>

"I like my shoes just put them in the box on the bed and leave them alone!"she yelled back from the living room. Hotch did as he was told and boxed up the rest of the shoes. Closing the box he sat down on the bed and looked at the now empty room. The room had many fond memories, from watching the news as they ate cereal in bed that first weekend he visited her to the first fight that they had had about how their relationship and seeing each other would work. He had been so caught up in thinking about that fight that he didn't even see Claire walk into the bed room and sneak up behind him and wrap her arms around his shoulders and rested her cheek on his shoulder.

"You look like you're lost deep in your thoughts," she murmured.

Hotch held her clasped hands and rubbed his thumb back and forth over her hands.

"I was thinking about you and about the memories this room holds," Hotch said quietly after a few minutes of peaceful silence. He could feel the weight of her head on his shoulder and it was comforting to know that she would be with him in wouldn't have to have her board a plane and leave anymore. Instead they would be with each other as often as they could. It was nice to know now that he wouldn't be coming home to a lonely apartment and a cold bed but he'd be coming home with the knowledge that there was someone there who loved him and was happy to see him.

"There aren't a lot of memories here, although eating cereal in bed is one of my favorites."

He chuckled as he relived that memory. Claire had told him that even though it was Sunday morning there was no way she was cooking. The options had been either he cooked or they had cereal or they got dressed and braved the restaurants. Naturally, neither wanted to dress so they had settled on Shredded Wheat and watching Sunday cartoons on the Television in the bedroom. It had been the most relaxing Sunday morning Hotch had ever had until he had to leave in the afternoon and head back to Quantico. Part of him had known that he would have to go and another part of him wanted to just stay and lay in bed with Claire for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

"I think that was probably the first time that I had ever watched cartoons since I was a kid. To be honest with you, I went out and bought a DVD set of all the Tommy and Jerry classic episodes."

Claire didn't say anything but shifted her head a little to the side. They sat there quietly for some time. Hotch could feel Claire's breathing slow and hated to wake her up. He knew that she had been busy trying to get everything ready for moving. He had been swamped in case files and had only had brief conversations with her but each time he had talked to her, she sounded more and more tired.

"The car's all packed. The box on the bed is the last one that has to go down. I just have to give the manager the keys and then we can go," Claire said raising her head from his shoulder and moving herself away from him to stand. She rolled her shoulders and stretched, moving to the living room she grabbed her cream wool winter coat off the counter and returned to bare bedroom. She slid the coat on and buttoned the front. Walking to where Hotch stood, she smiled and moved to grab the box of shoes. Hotch reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey I'll get it. You go take care of the keys; I'll meet you at the car when you're done."

"Okay," she said as she wrapped her arms around his and kissed him, "I'll try to be as fast I can."

She let go of him and walked towards the living and Hotch watched her go. Her long legs where incased by jeans and her long milk chocolate hair was pulled into a loose bun at the base of her neck. Following her to the living room, Hotch grabbed his coat and returned to bedroom to grab the box before leaving the apartment for the car.

It was an hour later that they left Boston and within a matter of minutes Clare was lulled asleep by the movement of the car. Hotch drove back to Virginia in the peaceful silence of the car. It was a nine hour drive to Quantico and having left at ten in the morning and having stopped for lunch around one at a restaurant in a small town New York, they didn't arrive at Hotch's apartment till nine o'clock that night. Pulling into a parking space at the complex, Hotch shut the car off and they both exited the car as fresh snow began to fall.

"I say that we just wait till tomorrow to do it. I don't feel like hauling boxes up two flights of stairs, you?"

Hotch shook his head and grabbed Claire hand. They quickly climbed the two flights of stairs and entered the apartment. Silently, they took off their coats and slipped into bed exhausted. Both happy that she was in Virginia to stay.

* * *

><p><strong>Any thought on what gender the first born will be? Send some ideas of names too if you like!<strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	5. Five: Wanted

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! Thanks for all the reviews so far! Right now it's tied with Boy:2 and Girl:2 **

**I will try to update another chapter today but I make no promises! **

**All errors are my own :( Sorry! **

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." ~Lillian Dickson<em>

**Chapter Five: Wanted**

_"...But it's more than one and one makes two  
>So put aside the math and the logic of it<br>You gotta know you're wanted too_

_I wanna wrap you up  
>Wanna kiss your lips<br>I wanna make you feel wanted  
>I wanna call you mine<br>Wanna hold your hand forever  
>And never let you forget it<br>Yeah I, wanna make you feel wanted_

_Anyone can tell you you're pretty  
>And you get that all the time, I know you do<br>But your beauty's deeper than the makeup  
>And I wanna show you what I see tonight<em>

_When I wrap you up  
>When I kiss your lips<br>I wanna make you feel wanted  
>I wanna call you mine<br>Wanna hold your hand forever  
>And never let you forget it<br>'Cause Baby I, wanna make you feel wanted_

_As good as you make me feel  
>I wanna make you feel better<br>Better than your fairy tales  
>Better than your best dreams<br>You're more than everything I need  
>You're all I ever wanted<br>All I ever wanted.."_

**~ "Wanted" - Hunter Hayes**

_One month later, December…Two weeks before Christmas…_

"What time is it Sean?" Hotch asked cradling his cell phone between his ear and shoulder. He grabbed a post-it note and quickly scribbled the time and place where they would be meeting the next night for dinner with the Rossi's.

"I got it...Mom's okay with this? I know Rossi will be fine with it…I'll tell Claire to call and tell Maria...Bye."

Hotch tore off the post-it note, folded it and put it in his pocket. Returning back to the case file, he went to work for about an hour before he glanced at his watch and realized that Claire would be home any minute. They had just gotten back from a case in Ohio and he hadn't seen her in close to a week. She always got off work at seven and was home close to eight. When she had first moved in a month ago it had been a little strange and they had both struggled to find a rhythm for living together. Now nearly a month later, they had mastered a routine and Hotch found that he loved living with her. They shared many of the same habits like always liking the apartment clean or always having the dishes done before they went to bed. One of Claire's strangest quirks that Hotch had found annoying at first but now thought was actually useful was Claire's need to make the bed in a specific way. She always made the bed like she was making a hospital bed with the sheets tucked in at the bottom. He found it easier to made making the bed in the morning. Because the sheets were so tight, they never fell off the bed thus it was easy to put the bed together when they were on the run.

Closing the files, Hotch left his home office and walked down the hall to the kitchen and living room. Opening the refrigerator, he grabbed the left over lasagna, put on a pan and stuck it into the oven. The sound of the door opening brought his attention away from setting the table as he looked up to see Claire walk in and shut the door behind her. She locked the door and proceeded to take off her coat before hang it up. Leaning against the counter in the kitchen he didn't know whether to be amused or concerned at how unobservant she was being.

"How was work?" he asked as she dropped her keys, phone and ID badge into the glass bowl on the table by the door. Claire jumped and brought her hand to her chest.

"Aaron!" she said moving to the kitchen,"You're home. I thought you weren't going to be here till tomorrow."

"We closed the case earlier than we thought we would."

"I'd give you a kiss but I'm all bloody," She said as she moved away towards the sink. He registered the red splotches on her light blue uniform top and bottom. It looked like it was dried but it was still a lot. She bent down and grabbed a plastic bag from under the sink.

"I'm going to go change. Is dinner almost ready?"

"Yeah, about five more minutes."

She nodded and Hotch watched walk down the hall of the apartment to their bedroom. It was nice to think of the small two bedroom apartment as theirs.

Claire returned a few minutes later wearing one his t-shirts and flannel pajama pants in pink and grey. Hotch hadn't moved from his place leaning against the counter. She walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his lips. Hotch wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. It was a warm, soft kiss that was quickly turning passionate. She was the first to pull back for air. They both stood looking at each other.

"I missed you," she said quietly as he tucked her head under his chin. Neither needed to say anything after that, Hotch had never been good at saying how he felt but they both knew that he was better at expressing how he felt physically rather than verbally. They stood there in the kitchen holding each other simple enjoying each other's presence for a few minutes longer before the alarm on the stove signaled that the food was done.

Claire reluctantly pulled away. She had missed him terribly; she always did when he was away. When she had first moved to Virginia from Boston she had thought that the move would have been easier but in actually knowing how often he was away made it harder. She had spent many of her first few nights getting to know the city and area around it. It had been an adventure but it had also been lonely. Laura had been the one to suggest she start having weekly outing with her father and that had helped a lot. She was the closest now that she had ever been to Rossi and happier than she ever been. But she still could remember that first week that she had been there where she felt almost awkward and out of place in his apartment. When Hotch had found many of her things still in the closets when he had returned he insisted that she take her things out and put them where she wanted them. He had even taken out her old cream sheets for her bed back in Boston and had put them on the bed citing that they were much more comfortable than his ever were. Now nearly a month later she felt at home in the apartment.

Grabbing oven mitts, Claire opened the oven and grabbed the pan of lasagna. She couldn't help but laugh. One of Hotch's defects was that he was a horrible cook. He first day she had moved in he had told her up front that he couldn't cook. He could make a mean frozen pizza or microwave dinner, hell he could even grill amazing steak but he couldn't make much in the way of actual meals. Whenever he made dinner it was either leftovers or take out. Claire had joked that the only reason he wanted her to move in with him was because she could cook homemade meals from scratch. She set the lasagna on the plates that were on the small kitchen table and they both sat down.

"When did you guys get back?" Claire asked as they started eating.

"Around noon, we managed to get the paperwork done in about five hours which was a relief and Gideon gave us the day off tomorrow. How was your day?"

She sighed and shook her head, "When will teenagers learn that talking on your phone while going thirty miles over the speed limit is a bad idea? We had five kids come in around four o'clock all suffering from brain and spinal trauma. Three died and two are in critical condition and will probably never walk again but besides that not much happened."

He knew that she didn't want to talk about it. When people died in the ER Hotch had learned that Claire tended to distance herself away from it. She had explained to him that it was easier to be as impersonal about it as possible. She tried to avoid getting to know many patients personally because sometimes they didn't pull through and often times she personally found it easier to deal with their deaths that way. He distinctly remembered Rossi saying something to close to that the first day he had joined the BAU. 'Never get personal with victims and the day you go numb to the photos and crime scenes of these horrific acts get out of the department.'

"Sean called and said that he made reservations at some Italian restaurant called Bella's for tomorrow at eight. I told him that you would tell Maria, I don't have her phone number," Hotch said changing the subject and tried not to chuckle when Claire groaned. Maria had, since the beginning of November around the time that Claire had moved in, been hounding Claire about plans for Christmas. When Claire had finally caved and told her that they had no plans Maria had gone into over drive about planning dinner and a small gathering. She had pitched a fit when she learned that Hotch had no plans for Christmas either. Hotch had felt horrible when Claire had been on the phone with Maria when that information had come out. It had taken her an hour and popping two Advil in her mouth to calm Maria down and reassure her that they would come to see Rossi on Christmas.

A few days later, Hotch's mother had called and told him that she had been talking to Rossi's housekeeper, Maria. His mother adored Maria and they had quickly become friends, sharing recipes and all that other things that women did to bond. Somehow, Hotch still wasn't sure but suspected Rossi was defiantly involved, Maria had snagged his mother's phone number. If he had known that they would be that vocal about his lack of ring on Claire's finger he would have found a way for them to never meet. Every time his mother called, she asked if he had proposed yet and every time he answered no. Hotch sighed as he thought about the fact that the dinner tomorrow sounded more like torture instead of a nice family dinner to let Maria make plans for Christmas with them.

"I'll call her after I shower and clean up. Instead, maybe you could call and tell her about the reservations?" Claire suggested.

"Nope," Hotch said not missing a beat, "I start talking to her and before I know it she has me in a head lock about how bad living in sin is as she puts it."

"You know if you just propose you can stop all this jabbing Maria and your mom keep doing."

Hotch nearly choked on his water. Looking at her he raised an eyebrow.

"You want me to propose?"

"We've talked about it before but I think it would be nice to be married. I know it's a big step but I think that we're ready for it."

Hotch looked at her like he was a lawyer trying to determine how much she knew about a case. He knew she hadn't found the ring. He kept that in his brief case and had it constantly with him. Even now it was secure and sat next to his desk in the office.

"What?" she said nervously as he looked at her, "Have I grown a second head?"

Snapping back to the dinner, Hotch shook his head and leaned over to kiss her.

"When I propose, I want it to be because I want to propose to you. Not because I have my mother breathing down my neck thinking if she continues I will snap and do it."

Claire smiled at him and they finished off dinner in quiet conversation about Claire's week and the schedule that had been changed because two nurses had both quit in the same week. They silently did the dishes, Hotch washing them and Claire drying and putting them away. It was a comfort that gave them both a sense of normalcy in their lives that was surrounded by death and tragic stories.

When they had finished, Claire announced that she was going to take a shower. She walked back down the hallway and to the bathroom. Closing the door, she stripped off her clothes and turned the shower on. Stepping under the scolding hot shower head, she let the water hit her shoulders and rolled them hoping that they would ease up and stop hurting. Her feet ached and her neck was sore. After having been on her feet for twelve hours, she really didn't feel up to calling Maria. She honestly loved the woman like she was her own mother, but she was so exhausted that she didn't think that she would stay awake much longer. Quickly washing her hair and body, Claire stepped out of the shower and dried off before wrapping the towel around her.

Changing back into the shirt she had worn earlier, a new pair of shorts and grabbing the plastic bag with the bloody uniform, she walked back to the living room where she could hear the television. Throwing the uniform in the trash, she walked to where Hotch was sitting on the couch with his legs stretched and his feet crossed on the coffee table watching the news. He had changed from the dress shirt and pants he had been wearing to a t-shirt and grey and black flannel pajama pants. Grabbing her cell phone from the bowl by the door, she sat down on the couch and stretched out. Sitting up still, her toes brushed against Hotch's thighs and she dialed Rossi's house phone.

"Hello?" Rossi said in his deep voice after the second ring.

"Hi Dad, it's Claire, I was hoping to talk to you or Maria about tomorrow night."

"Maria won't stop talking about it," Rossi sighed and Claire couldn't help the smile that came to her face as Rossi continued, "She's excited to finally meet Aaron's mom. Between you and me, I thought that by giving her his mother's number it would stop her from talking my ear off but it had the opposite effect. I guess it's true what they say about karma. Now I'm assuming you have the time and place?"

"Yes, I do," Claire said laughing, "Aaron has it, hold on."

Hotch handed her the post-it note from earlier, his eyes not straying from the television.

"It's for eight o'clock tomorrow at Bella's."

"Alright, I'll tell Maria in the morning. She just went up to bed. Goodnight Claire, I love you_."_

"Night Dad, I love you too."

Claire held back a laugh as she disconnected the call and looked at Hotch who stared back at her curiously.

"What's so funny? I feel like I'm being left out."

"Dad was the one who gave Maria your mom's number," she said with a smile.

Hotch groaned and threw his head back on the couch as Claire burst into laughter.

* * *

><p><strong>Leave a review! I love them!<strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	6. Six: Ho Hey

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hi Everyone! Thanks to my one person who reviewed! I would love some more though! Feed back is always loved. **

**As always, I don't own anything and all errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>I like her because she smiles at me and means it. ~Anonymous<em>

**Chapter Six: Ho Hey **

_"...Ho! I've been trying to do it right_  
><em>Hey! I've been living a lonely life<em>  
><em>Ho! I've been sleeping here instead<em>  
><em>Hey! I've been sleeping in my bed,<em>  
><em>Ho! I've been sleeping in my bed, hey! Ho!<em>

_Ho! So show me family_  
><em>Hey! All the blood that I would bleed<em>  
><em>Ho! I don't know where I belong<em>  
><em>Hey! I don't know where I went wrong<em>  
><em>Ho! But I can write a song, hey!<em>

_1, 2, 3 _

_I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart_  
><em>I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet! Ho! Hey!<em>

_Hey!_  
><em>Ho!<em>  
><em>Hey!<em>

_Ho! I don't think you're right for him _  
><em>Hey! Look at what it might have been if you<em>  
><em>Ho! Took the bus to china town<em>  
><em>Hey! I've been standing on Canal<em>  
><em>Ho! And Bowery, hey!<em>  
><em>Ho! And she'd be standing next to me, hey!<em>

_1, 2, 3 _

_I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet heart_  
><em>I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet heat..."<em>

**~ "Ho Hey" - The Lumineers**

Rossi sat at the table waiting anxiously for Claire and Hotch to arrive. He and Maria had been the first to arrive around seven-thirty followed by Hotch's mother fifteen minutes later. She was a quiet woman who had blonde hair and green eyes but when she was with Maria she blossomed into a woman who was unrecognizable. She laughed, told stories about her children and looked happy. Rossi let the two women talk as he waited for the other three to arrive.

When Aaron Hotchner had approached him and asked him if it would be alright if he married Claire, David Rossi had been stunned. He knew that someday his daughter would get married but he hadn't expected it to happen that soon. She had only been dating Hotchner for six months but he could tell they were perfect for each other. They both could understand the other's job and how much it meant to them. But more, they could understand the horrors that the other saw. He remembered the first time Claire had ever seen a body. They had been driving home from Sunday mass when there had been a car accident. Claire, being the sweet child that she was, had gotten out of the car before he could stop her and ran to the cars to see if everyone had been okay. No one had lived. The look on her face when she realized that they baby in the back seat of the one car was dead would haunt him for the rest of his life. But that had also been a turning point. She had grown up over night and had decided to be a nurse to help people who were hurt in accidents like the one she had seen. It had been a proud and sad day for him. It was the day when he realized she was no longer the little girl he had always thought of her as.

Seeing them walk through the doors of the restaurant and stop at the hostess station he sighed. They were a handsome looking couple together. Hotch was dressed in his customary suit and tie with a heavy coat over it but Rossi couldn't quite make out what Claire had on yet their attractiveness as a couple went beyond their look. Their attractiveness as couple was in the way Hotch had opened the door for her and had moved his hand to the small of her back. It was in the way they walked towards the table. It was obvious in everything that Hotch did that he respected Claire and loved her very deeply. He saw several people stop eating and look at them as they crossed the room towards the group.

Taking in a deep breath, Rossi hoped that Hotchner wouldn't propose tonight. He wasn't ready to look at his daughter and know that she was about to become another man's wife and eventually be the mother of his children. In his eyes, she was still the little girl begging to dance with him on the deck on those hot summer evenings when she would stand on his shoes and he would teach her how to dance the waltz.

"Hi Daddy!" Claire said with a smile as she reached him. Rossi stood automatically and embraced his daughter. They had had lunch earlier in the week on Monday but that felt like it was a lifetime ago when in actuality it was only Saturday night. Rossi knew in his mind that Hotch would be proposing soon in the coming weeks. That soon he would give her over to him and she would no longer be Clarissa Rossi but Clarissa Hotchner, wife of Aaron Hotchner.

"Hello Sweetheart. How are you?" Rossi asked letting her go.

"I'm good. You?"

"Peachy as I was on Monday."

Claire smiled and kissed his cheek before moving on to hug Maria and greet Hotch's mother. Turning to Hotch he extended his hand and they shook.

"Aaron."

"Dave. How've you been?" Hotch asked with a smile.

"I'm doing well. Working on a book and enjoying retirement. You?" Rossi replied with a chuckle.

Hotch smiled even more, "Busier than ever. I didn't think I was going to make it but by some luck I did. I need you help on something actually. I was hoping maybe we could talk after dinner."

"Sure. We can do that. Can I ask what it's about?"

"Christmas gifts," Hotch said cryptically as Claire returned to stand next to Hotch and pulled out the seat between them. They all returned to their seats and the new arrivals quickly removed their coats and conversation as to where Sean was quickly came up.

"I know he's late because Claire and Aaron are always on time to everything," Maria said laughing.

"Hey! It's not my fault that I like being on time to everything," Claire laughed back.

"No, but I have a hard time being on time," Sean said leaning down to kiss his mother's cheek, "I'm sorry I'm late mom, traffic was nightmare."

"It's fine. I understand, you can sit down and join us now."

Sean went around the table and offered hugs, handshakes and apologies for being late. Soon they were all seated and ordering their dinners. They shared about their work weeks and the various activities but soon Maria had directed the conversation towards plans for Christmas.

"I was thinking that everyone should come over on Christmas Day around five o'clock and we can have dinner at six and open presents afterwards does that sound good?" Maria asked looking around the table.

"I think that it will work out. I can come over and help you get dinner ready if that's okay with you Maria," Marilyn Hotchner said smiling at her friend.

"I would appreciate that. I'm making a large dinner so I'll need all the help I can get. I'm having Claire come over on Christmas Eve and help me cookies. It's our tradition; we've been making cookies on Christmas Eve since she was five."

"Maria neglects to tell you that they make so many cookies that I always end up eating all those cookies. I always gained ten pounds at Christmas and it's always worth it," Rossi said to the group who all laughed knowing Maria's cooking probably had that effect on people.

"I liked Maria's frosting that's why we made so many cookies. I could eat it all day and never be unhappy with it," Claire said as she liked her lips, "Even the thought of your cookies and frosting is making me hungry."

The group laughed again and soon after the food arrived.

Rossi watched the group throughout the dinner as was habit. The women shared stories about past Christmases with their families and traditions they shared. Sean and Aaron Hotchner talked quietly about some sporting event that had been on the night before. Once they had finished eating and the plates cleared, Rossi watched Hotch's arm go around the back of Claire's chair and his finger tips gently ran up and down her arm. It was a small gesture but Rossi saw the significance of it. Hotchner wasn't big on public physical displays of affection. He knew that Hotch wasn't going to kiss in full view of the restaurant but the gentle way he had touched her lower back to guide her across the restaurant and the way now that his arm casually rested on the back of her chair was a discrete way of showing that he cared for her but was insignificant enough to the public that Hotch would feel comfortable doing it. Rossi could see one of his daughter's hands in her lap, the other he assumed was on Hotch's knee of thigh. A place of intimacy and discrete comfort and connection for them both, because it was under the table the others couldn't see it. Waiter had come back again and asked them all if they wanted dessert to which everyone had agreed to a slice of chocolate cake. It was served and agreed that it was the best chocolate that they had ever tasted.

Hotch was the first one to ask for the bill. They both looked tired and ready to go to sleep. Once their bill was paid and the tip was settled, they stood up to leave. Hotch, being the gentlemen that he was, helped Claire into her black wool dress coat and then put on his own. After everyone had shared kisses and elected promises from the couple about calling Maria and Marilyn more, and Hotch telling Rossi that he'd call him about the Christmas present that he had mentioned earlier, they walked out.

Rossi watched them go and silently asked God if he was doing the right thing. He had never wanted Claire to marry someone from his department or his field. He had hoped that she would fall in love with some guy who worked regular hours and provide her with the stability that she had never had as a child. If there was one thing he regretted it was never being there for her when she was younger. He couldn't count how many soccer games he missed or the number of times she had won an award and he hadn't been there to see it.

And it was in that moment sitting there at the table that he realized that Claire was probably the one woman who could be happy and survive a marriage to Aaron Hotchner. She understood what so many other women couldn't. The drive to catch killers, the long hours of paperwork, the missed celebrations, the traveling, it was something she was used to.

Rossi remembered a fight that they had had when she was a senior in high school about picking colleges. She had decided and accepted a college scholarship offer without his help at all. At the time he had been angry, but Claire had said that she was used to making decisions on her own and that she didn't expect him to help her. She had reasoned that when she had no expectations of him, there was no reason to be upset that he couldn't make it. She always applied worst case scenario with him. At first when she had said that it had stung but after she had left, her words made perfect sense. Marrying Hotchner was not as scary for her as it would be for him. Claire was not going into a relationship blindly. She had said that when she and him had first talked about dating Hotchner. She knew what she was doing and Rossi would just have to trust that.

But still, she was his only child and daughter. It was his God given right as a parent to worry about her.

* * *

><p><strong>Send some reviews over...I still can't decide if the first born is going to be a boy or a girl and the reviews are tied at 2:2. Next chapter the vote ends! Send your opinion over if you already haven't! <strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	7. Seven: Hallelujah

EDITED 11/29/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hi Everyone! Thanks for all the reviews so far! Keep them coming, it's great to know that you are for the most part enjoying the story.**

**I hope you'll enjoy learning a little bit more about Claire and Rossi! Review after words.**

**I own nothing. All errors are mine:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand." ~Emily Kimbrough<em>

**Chapter Seven: Hallelujah**

_"...Hallelujah_  
><em> Hallelujah<em>  
><em> Hallelujah<em>  
><em> Hallelujah<em>

_ Your faith was strong but you needed proof_  
><em> You saw her bathing on the roof<em>  
><em> Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you<em>  
><em> She tied you to her kitchen chair<em>  
><em> She broke your throne and she cut your hair <em>  
><em> And from your lips she drew the hallelujah<em>

_ Hallelujah_  
><em> Hallelujah<em>  
><em> Hallelujah<em>  
><em> Hallelujah<em>

_ Well, maybe there's a God above_  
><em> But all I've ever learned from love<em>  
><em> Was how to shoot somebody who'd out drew you<em>  
><em> It's not a cry that you hear at night<em>  
><em> It's not someone who's seen the light<em>  
><em> It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah..."<em>

**~ "Hallelujah" - Alexandra Burke**

Hotch stuck his head into Rossi's home office and knocked on the door.

"Maria has summoned us for dinner Dave," Hotch said walking into the room more. His attention had been caught by a wall full of photos by the fire place. They were pictures of Claire at various ages. Some were of her as a baby others were of a grown woman smiling and laughing. One picture caught Hotch's attention; it was one of Claire as a child. She had to have been about ten years old she was smiling at the camera. She wore a white knee length dress with straps for sleeve and was standing in the lawn bare foot with her toes curled in the grass waving. He could tell that she had a bow in her hair that was holding half of it back while the rest of it fell straight round her small shoulders. Hotch hadn't realized how petite she had been as a child. When Maria had told him that as a child, most of Claire's clothes had to be tailored and adjusted he had thought she had been joking.

"That was taken the summer before she started school," Rossi said from next to him, "She had been home schooled up until that point and she had started begging me the year before to let her go to public school with other kids her age. When I was away that was the picture I always kept with me. A sort of motivation as to why I did what I did. At first it had been about catching serial killers but when Claire was born it was like my world had shifted. I was twenty-seven and had no idea about how to raise a little girl but I found comfort in the idea that I was just like the next single father, I had no idea what the hell I was doing and learned through trial and error just like we did in the early days of the BAU. I thought that if I could be the best father I could at the one moment of time everything else would find its place in the world, just staying in the present. That philosophy slowly worked its way into my life all because a little girl had been crying in her crib at the hospital and when I said hello to her she stopped crying and looked at me with wonder. I like to keep these pictures here to remind myself that there is good in the world and it's not filled with just psychopaths."

"She smiled a lot then like she does now," Hotch commented looking at the photos.

Rossi chuckled, "Do you know how easy it was to get her to go from sad to happy as a child? All you had to do was to offer to swing with her or tickle her or just smile at her and she would light up. She was a sweet child. Everyone she met thought she was a perfect angel and she was until she reached high school."

"I can imagine she was a rebel just wanting to give you trouble," Hotch said smiling at another picture of Claire kicking a soccer ball and biting her bottom lip.

"Oh hell, that girl was as much trouble as possible. She'd bring boys home and try and create as many problems as possible without getting into any trouble at school. In school she was the model kid and student. The minute she got home it was like fighting a brick wall."

Hotch chuckled, "I can see that."

The stood looking at the wall in silence before Dave spoke again.

"I know that you're going to propose tomorrow and I wish you the best of luck Aaron. Just promise me that you'll always take care of her. Claire's my little girl and always has been. It's hard to think that almost a year ago she had showed up on my door step broken hearted and now she's fallen head over heels for you. Just love her to the best of your ability that's all I ask."

"I promise Dave. I love Claire more than I've ever loved anyone else. I can safely say that she has a piece of my heart I don't think that I'll ever be able to get back."

It was Rossi's turn to chuckle, "She has that effect on people. Always has, always will."

The stood there by each other in silence. Both examining the pictures, Rossi lost in the many memories he had of his daughter and Hotch wondering about what the future would hold. He briefly wondered if this would be him in thirty years. Standing next to a younger man and looking at the pictures of his daughter's life and letting her marry that man.

"There you two are!" Claire's voice drifted to them from the door way. She wore a green sweater and dark denim jeans with black ballet flats. "I was worried that something had happened to you Aaron," she added half jokingly.

Hotch just shook his head and looked at her, "We were just talking."

"Well we'd better go before Maria pitches a fit over a cold dinner," Rossi said walking to the door followed by Hotch who dropped a kiss to Claire's lip once Rossi had left the room. She didn't say anything when they pulled apart but flashed him a smile and took his hand as they turned and left for the dining room and Christmas Eve dinner.

* * *

><p>Hotch watched Claire sleep. They lay in bed facing each other at their apartment and it was close to eleven o'clock on Christmas morning. They had stayed late at Rossi's house the night before helping Maria decorate the Christmas tree in the living room. Maria explained that it was tradition in her family to wait till Christmas Eve to decorate the tree and she had brought it with her to the Rossi family. Hotch had enjoyed himself more than he ever could remember around a holiday. Growing up his father had always worked through holidays and Christmas was no exception. Once he and Sean had become old enough to understand that their father was a workaholic and didn't even stop for family it had created a negative connotation about holidays. When Claire had come home with two full two pound bags for Halloween and explained that she would be giving it out for kids when they came to trick-or-treat he had explained to her that he hardly celebrated holidays. That had triggered a long conversation about his childhood, a conversation that had been painful and uncomfortable. He told her about his father and the abuse that both him and his mother had suffered from. He told her about his family and how his father had died from a heart attack in his forties and the distance that had been between him and his family for years. He had talked and she had listened. She didn't judge him or pity him; instead she asked him how he was going to slay the demon that he obviously was carrying around with him. Claire had asked him how he was going to make peace with his past.<p>

It was the first step in recovery when he called his mom the next day and asked how she was. He hadn't talked to her in a long time and she had seemed surprised when he had called. In two months time he had felt lighter than he had in months and he actually felt excited about seeing his family for sharing a holiday with them. They were slowly rebuilding the relationship that had been destroyed years ago all thanks to Claire's question about slaying demons.

Rossi had been right the night before when he said that Claire would always have a way of stealing pieces of hearts. She had certainly stolen his. He felt butterflies form in his stomach when he thought about what he would be doing this evening, proposing to Claire and asking her to spend the rest of her life with him. When he had told Sean about his plan to propose his brother had asked him if he thought that he was moving too fast. Hotch had pondered that thought for a while before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't. With Claire he felt whole and happier then he could ever remember being. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and try to be a man who she could be proud to call her husband.

Her eyes blinking jarred him from his thoughts and he smiled as she shifted closer to him for warmth.

"Penny for your thoughts?" she asked sleepily.

"I was thinking about Halloween," Hotch said honestly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her blue eyes met his dark chocolate brown ones and she brought her hand to his cheek.

"I never did tell you about my mother like I promised that night did I?" she said.

"No, you don't have to Claire if you don't want to."

She stared at him now wide awake, "I want to though."

Claire took a deep breath and laid on her back staring at the ceiling for a few minutes before she began again.

"I was little when she died. I must have been ten. Her and my Dad met at a charity function and dated for a few months before he found out about her drug problem. She became pregnant with me towards the end of their relationship. Maria said that they fought constantly and when Dad found out that she had gone to a doctor to speak about having an abortion he snapped. I don't know how he got her to agree not to terminate and to have me. When I was born she didn't even stick around to name me. She just left the hospital and a year later married a rich banker. I never met her though every Sunday Maria would take me to their town house and try to get her to see me. It never worked. Her husband was always there though. He'd talk to me and would give me little presents or treats. I honestly could never figure out how he married her. By the time I was seven I stopped going. I only saw pictures of her and once I caught a glimpse of her going up the stairs of her home as we were leaving. I was so used to never seeing her or her even talking to me I choose simply to forget about her. To me Maria became my mother and my birth mother just became this foggy idea in my head. I think I treated it kind of like she had died and she wasn't there."

Taking a deep breath she looked back at Hotch and gave a week smile, "When I was ten I came home from school and found her husband leaving our house and my dad on the front porch waiting for me. He told me that we needed to talk and we went to his office. He told me that she had died from a car accident the night before. I learned as a teenager she had taken sleeping pills, cocaine and a few shots of some kind of liquor before getting behind the wheel of her car. I remember being ten and him telling me that she was dead and feeling nothing, even at the funeral. I could hear people whispering about me and Dad being there. They said that I was the 'poor little girl with the drug addict mother'. I don't think I will ever forget the look of pity in their eyes as they passed me offering their condolences. Some handed us flowers or business cards to call them if we needed anything, most of it was a blur. I left a part of me there that day with her. Maria says that it was one of the days that made me grow up. I made peace with her ghost along time ago but I still go once a year and visit her. Even after everything that she did, I still think of her as my mother. When you told me that night about how you always strived to be perfect for your dad and tried to be the ideal son, I could relate. I could never be what Gianna wanted me to be and in the end it doesn't matter to me what she thought. I have a family who loves and I have you."

Hotch pulled her close and tucked her head under his chin. They laid there in each other's comforting embrace neither wanting to break or pull away from the uninterrupted moment of solitude.

"Thank you for telling me Claire. I love you very much."

"I love you too," She whispered, "Thank you for listening. I feel better now that I told you about her."

They stayed in each other's embrace. No other words passing between them because none were needed. Both knew that no words could ever heal the wounds they had both suffered from their childhoods but the fact that the other knew and could offer comfort and love was enough to put each of them on the path towards healing.

* * *

><p><strong>Guess what? I think I see a ring on the horizon...review and you might see it sooner then you think!<strong>

EDITED 11/29/2013


	8. Eight: The Christmas Song

EDITED 11/30/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! I so love that people are adding the story to their watch lists. So not loving the amount of reviews I'm getting. I would love to hear some feed back good, bad, whatever it is as long as your typing to me. Please, I hate begging almost as much as I hate watermelon. **

**Hope ya'll are having a fab holiday weekend for those of you in the USA celebrating Memorial Day. I hope you have the chance to thank those who are still here protecting us and remember those who have died. **

**I have an nice suprise at the end of the chapter...I hope you'll like it.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. ~Emily Brontë<em>

**Chapter Eight: The Christmas Song**

_"...Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe  
>Help to make the season bright<br>Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow  
>Will find it hard to sleep tonight<em>

_They know that Santa's on his way  
>He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh<br>And every mother's child is gonna spy  
>To see if reindeer really know how to fly<em>

_And so I'm offering this simple phrase  
>To kids from one to ninety-two<br>Although it's been said many times  
>Many ways, Merry Christmas to you<em>

_And so I'm offering this simple phrase  
>To kids from one to ninety-two<br>Although it's been said many times  
>Many ways, Merry Christmas to you..."<em>

**~ "The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole**

At three o'clock the phone rang breaking the tranquil silence of the afternoon in the apartment. After lunch, Claire had suggested watching Tom and Jerry in bed to which Hotch had happily agreed. Anything that gave him an excuse to keep in bed snuggled with Claire worked for him.

It was Rossi calling Hotch and asking for his help with a leak down at his cabin an hour south. Hotch grudgingly agreed to help Rossi and quickly explained to Claire what had happened. Grabbing a pair of pair of dress pants, shirt and dress shoes, he put them in a bag before putting on Levi jeans and a t-shirt. They agreed that he would meet her at Rossi's house for dinner and after kissing her good bye, he left and the apartment became quiet once more.

Claire stared at the ceiling and tried not to call Rossi to rip him a new one. Of all the days to call her boyfriend away, one would think that her father would figure out that Christmas was a holy day and off limits. Standing up from bed, Claire grabbed her phone and dialed the one person who could talk her out of committing a homicide. Laura.

"Hello?"

"Hey it's Claire. I was just calling to wish you a Merry Christmas and I need a favor."

"Merry Christmas to you too, what's up?" Laura replied sounding a little annoyed.

Claire could hear a deep male voice in the back ground and laughed.

"Am I keeping you from something?"

"No, James and I are at his mother's house. God Claire, get your head out of the gutter. What would Father John say if he could hear you now?" Laura chuckled.

Laura was a party child, and the absolute farthest thing from a good Catholic girl that one could be, her grandmother just didn't know it. Had she, Claire could say absolute correctness that Laura would have been planted six feet deep by now. Claire silently counted her blessings that she didn't have an Italian grandmother like Laura's. The woman was a nasty piece of work who made the best fish Claire had ever had.

"I'm not sure what he'd say. But I'd definitely tell him about your escapades."

"I can't be leave that you and I are friends. Why are you even calling me? I thought you'd be with that boy toy of yours Aaron," Laura laughed.

"Aaron left me here to go help my Dad at his cabin, some kind of pipe leak or something that requires immediate attention."

"So much for 'love of my life' and such, if he loved you he'd be there," Laura said sarcastically.

"Yeah well, I was just calling you to wishing you a Merry Christmas. You sound a little drunk Laura. I'll talk to you later. Love you lots. Bye."

Claire disconnected the call and threw it on the bed. Looking at the clock again only fifteen minutes had passed. She sighed and took a deep breath. She didn't have to be at her dad's house till five and had almost two hours to kill. She had taken all the presents for the family over the night before and had nothing to do. Bored, Claire made the bed and went to the kitchen and spent the hour cleaning the surfaces and organizing the cabinets. Around four she got in the shower and stood under the hot water till it went cold. She dried her hair and pulled it back in a loose bun at the base of her neck. Walking back to the bedroom and the walk-in closet, Claire put on a short sleeved dark blue sweater dress with grey leggings and black ballet flats. She put on minimal make up and added a diamond pendent necklace that Rossi had given her for her twenty-fifth birthday.

By ten till she was in her car and heading to Rossi's house. She felt excitement and hope soaring in her heart about the coming evening. This day felt so different from the Christmas the year before.

Last Christmas had been uncomfortable. Anthony had been physical there but miles away mentally. At the time she had been angry with him but now she could understand him. He had probably desperately wanted to be with his children and spend the day with his family. Now, a year later she no longer felt anger towards him but pity. She pitied him because he hid his own family from his parents, friends. Even the people he trusted most never knew about his secret life or children. She didn't think of him as strong and courageous like she once thought of him. Now all she thought of him was that he was weak and sad person. Pulling up to the curb by Rossi's drive way she sat in the car for a moment before shutting off the car and opening the door. Hotch's Ford Escape already sat in the driveway with Rossi and Maria's car. The driveway was icy and Claire carefully walked to the front door and opened the door.

"Hello? Dad? Aaron?" she called out closing the door behind her and shrugged her coat off. Hanging it up in the front closet next to Aaron's she walked to the kitchen and saw Maria cooking.

"Claire! How was your drive? Marilyn and Sean are running late because of the weather. Your father is upstairs in his office with Aaron talking about some case or something like that." Maria said hugging Claire tightly.

"The drive was okay I was kind of on auto pilot I don't even remember driving here." Claire replied quietly hugging Maria back, "If you don't mind Maria I'm going to go find Aaron."

Maria nodded and turned back to her cooking as Claire walked back to the foray and up the spiral staircase.

* * *

><p>Claire poked her head into the spare bedroom where she had heard the shower running. The room had light brown walls with rich dark wood furniture including a desk with a chair, dresser and bed with twin nightstand. Red accented the room in two windows with curtains, and the rugs on either side of the bed. Having checked the office first and finding it empty she had walked the closest room. She smiled at the folded dress pants on the bed and the light blue dress shirt that was hung on the back of the chair. His dress shoes were on the floor next to the chair, the socks on the desk with his watch next to it. His cell phone sat on the opposite side of the desk with the bag that he grabbed earlier. Sitting down on the bed and crossing her legs, she leaned back and smiled as she heard the shower shut off. She knew when she heard nothing coming from the bathroom that he was shaving. The door opened a few minutes later the door opened and Hotch walked into the bedroom wet with boxers on.<p>

"I was wondering when you'd get here," Hotch said leaning down to kiss. His lips pressed against her warm soft ones. He had missed her and her perfume filled his senses as he deepened the kiss. His hands came up to cup her head as she held on to his elbows. He couldn't believe how goo it felt to kiss her lips. She pulled back and smiled at him.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

Hotch reached for dress shirt and put it on before sitting down on the chair to put his socks on. He stood up abruptly and put his pants on next. Claire watched him begin to button his shirt before she stood and pushed his hands away before picking up where he had been stopped.

"Why are you nervous?" Claire asked.

"I'm not nervous," Hotch replied.

Claire gave him a skeptical look but didn't respond. She left the top button open on the shirt and folded his collar down before resting her hand over his heart and smiling.

"You look anxious and your hearts pounding. I know you baby. Why are you nervous?"

Hotch chuckled before he took the hand that rested on his heart and brought it to his lips. Kissing the inside of her palm he moved his lips kiss each finger tip and pulled her close to him. He rested both hands on her hips and smiled down at her.

"If I'm nervous it's because you're so close to me and I'm trying to control myself in your father's house hence my pounding heart and anxiety."

Claire laughed wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a soft gentle kiss meant to reassure him but it raised his body temperature instead.

"I'll go see if Maria needs any help in the kitchen and you can finish getting ready, fair?" she said pulling away.

Hotch nodded and they both released each other. She moved to the door, opened it and walked into the hallway.

"Claire," Hotch called.

She walked backwards and leaned against the door frame.

"Yeah?"

"Did I tell you that you look beautiful today?" Hotch asked with a dimpled smile.

Claire smiled back at him and blew him a kiss before turning and walking back down the hall. Hotch quickly put on his shoes and watch before digging the small jewelry box out of the bag that had been next to his phone. Sliding the cell into his pocket, Hotch took a deep breath. He had been nervous when he had come out to see her sitting on the bed. Fear that she had found the ring had settled into the pit of his stomach but he was now able to relax knowing that she couldn't have found it without digging through the bag which clearly hadn't been tampered with. Sliding the ring box into his other pocket, Hotch finished getting ready and headed down stairs with a smile on his face knowing that in a matter of hours his life would change for the better.

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><p>Everyone laughed as Rossi opened his present from Maria. It was a pan of her famous peanut butter walnut fudge for his cabin.<p>

"Thank you the love of my life! I was just thinking of your fudge when Aaron and I were at the cabin earlier. Now my life is complete."

Claire smiled from her place next to Hotch on the small love seat by the window. They were the farthest from the tree but it felt so right sitting here with him.

"Claire is next and it's the last one," Sean said tossing a small package her way. Both Maria and Marilyn survived the box curiously.

"To Claire, from dad," she read aloud and laughed when both women sighed and their shoulders slumped.

Aaron's phone went off and he gave everyone an apologetic look as he stood and left the room. Rossi had a gut feeling his whole world was about to change.

Claire ignored Hotch's leaving and unwrapped the present with a smile. It was a gift card to her favorite coffee shop for one-hundred dollars. Everyone shared hugs and said thank-you while picking up the living room. Marilyn was collecting beer bottles and wine glasses with Rossi and Sean was putting wrapping paper in trash bags. Claire grabbed the trash bag that was full and stopped dead in her tracks.

A yellow Labrador Retriever sat with a green bow around his neck next to a standing Hotch. When the dog saw Claire it went straight to her as she crouched down to pet him. She smiled as he licked her hands and face. It was when she scratched behind his ears that she saw it. Untying the bow she stood and looked down at the palm of her hand which now held two items.

The first was a beautiful diamond ring. It was a large round cut diamond with smaller diamonds around it on a diamond encrusted silver band. It was beautiful. It was exactly like the one she had seen in a window when she had been twelve with Maria and had raced home to draw her perfect engagement ring. It was exactly alike!

The second thing she held in her hand was a dog tag with inscriptions on both sides. The first side had the name Vanilla written on it, the second side had the phrase 'Will you marry us?' on it.

Claire brought her hand to her mouth and looked at Hotch as he walked towards her, bending down on one knee and taking both her hands in his giving them a gentle squeeze.

"I know it seems like everything is moving so fast Claire but I found you and I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life enjoying your smile and trying to make you as happy as can be. So will you Claire marry me?" Hotch asked quietly looking at her with a large dimpled smile.

She smiled at him not even realizing she was crying until she felt the salt from the tears on her lips. She nodded her head and smiled her brightest smile at him.

"I'll take that as a yes?"

Claire smiled and let go of his hands to open her palm and give him the ring. Her heart felt like it had stopped in her chest when she saw it again.

"Yes, I'll marry you Aaron," She whispered so only he could hear.

Hotch smiled and stood. Sliding the ring on to the correct finger, he leaned down and kissed her. The sound of cheers and well wishes from their family brought them back down to earth.

"You know that I bought the dog knowing that Vanilla needs a back yard?"

Claire smiled back at him, feeling his thumb wipe away the tears that remained on her cheek.

"Can we talk about that tomorrow? I'm so wrapped up in this moment I can't even remember the presents I opened in the last hour."

Hotch chuckled and saw his mother and Maria coming towards them offering hugs and congratulations which were accepted. Maria had tears in her eyes as she hugged both of them telling them how happy she was for them.

Rossi had known about the plan since the morning after the dinner when Hotch had called asking for permission to bring a dog over on Christmas Eve. He had explained to Rossi that Claire wanted a yellow lab since she had lived in Boston and could never get one because of a 'no pet' rule where she had once lived. Rossi had listened to Hotch's plan to propose and had to give the kid credit. It was good. Hotch had taken the drawing of the engagement ring that Claire had loved all those years ago and had it designed and made perfectly. It defiantly proved to Rossi that Hotchner knew his daughter well.

Hearing about it and watching it had been two different things those. Watching it, he had felt a leap of happiness for his daughter and a hint of sadness to realize that he would now become second in her eyes. Hotchner would be the leading man in her life now. It would be him that she turned to for comfort and advice, protection, and stability. He was happy that his daughter had found the one and he knew in the coming months he would use all his time to be with her and help her with every aspect of the wedding even if it killed him. Claire smiled at him and threw her arms around his neck like she used to when she was little and kissed his cheek.

"I love you Daddy," she whispered.

"I love you too sweetheart," he whispered back.

She was his world and she was becoming Hotchner's also. Claire was no longer a little girl, but a woman who was going to be married soon.

Putting a smile on for her, Rossi spent the rest of the night celebrating with his daughter and her fiancé. They laughed and had a happy night celebrating true love.

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><p><strong>Wanna see the ring? Leave a review first and hop over to my profile page...<strong>

EDITED 11/30/2013


	9. Nine: All I Want Is You

EDITED 11/30/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hi Guys! Thanks to shippolove84 and Duchess of Lantern Waste for your reviews! You guys rock! The rest of you I would love to hear from still... **

**...I just wrote about a certain happy event in the future and would love to hear some ideas people have about Baby Hotchner...Just saying...**

**Anyway, PLEASE LEAVE SOME REVIEWS PEOPLE:) **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers." ~ Seneca<em>

**Chapter Nine: Heart Attack**

_"...If I was a flower growing wild and free  
>All I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee<br>And if I was a tree growing tall and green  
>All I'd want is you to shade me and be my leaves<em>

_All I want is you, will you be my bride?  
>Take me by the hand and stand by my side<br>All I want is you, will you stay with me?  
>Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea<em>

_If you were a river in the mountains tall  
>The rumble of your water would be my call<br>If you were the winter, I know I'd be the snow  
>Just as long as you were with me when the cold winds blow<em>

_All I want is you, will you be my bride?  
>Take me by the hand and stand by my side<br>All I want is you, will you stay with me?  
>Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea<em>

_If you were a wink, I'd be a nod  
>If you were a seed, well I'd be a pod<br>If you were the floor, I'd wanna be the rug  
>And if you were a kiss, I know I'd be a hug..."<em>

**~ "All I Want Is You" - Barry Louis Polisar**

_Three months later…March…_

Hotch sat down across from the teenaged brother of the unsub. It was the second week of March and the mild breeze from Tallahassee was a blowing in through the open window was a blessing for the stuffy building. They had spent the last two weeks trying to catch a serial killer who cut up his victims and left the remains on the front door step of the family's house. It was turning out to be one of the most gruesome and disturbing cases that Hotch had ever been a part of. They had finally caught the SOB earlier in the day when he had tried to pick up a woman but she had knocked him unconscious when she pushed him off the side of her doorstep. Gideon was interrogating while Hotch was babysitting the unsub's teenage brother.

"Is there anyone you could call to possibly pick you up? You can use my cell seeing as how all the other phones are in use," Hotch said. According to the unsub's file his brother eighteen and a legal adult but Hotch thought the kid looked about sixteen or younger. The kid nodded and Hotch reached into his pocket to pulled out the phone.

"Hotch! Come here," Gideon said in the ear piece that Hotch was wearing.

"I'll be right back," Hotch said standing and going to where Gideon had instructed him to go.

* * *

><p>He watched Agent Hotchner retreat to his boss. There was no way his brother was the killer. It wasn't possible! Clicking the center button of the phone that illuminated the screen, the boy smiled a sickly sweet smile.<p>

The woman that was in picture was pretty. She had bright blue eyes with perfect white straight teeth and a bright smile. Her frame was petite and slender. He figured it must have been a girlfriend or something like that and the wheels in his mind began to turn as he sent the picture to his cell phone which was at a friend's house. Opening Agent Hotchner's contacts he saw the first name was a woman's name.

Claire.

The lady in the photo looked like a Claire. That must have been her name. If not, he could always scan the image into his computer and find her that way or tract Claire's phone number. Either way he'd figure out who she was. His brother was innocent and he deserved revenge for what these people were going to do to him. Claire seemed like the perfect opportunity. He texted her number to his phone also before deleting any evidence that he had sent the messages.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…which he would get in the end.

* * *

><p>"Were you able to call your family at all?" Hotch asked returning to the desk and chair where the kid sat.<p>

"No, I couldn't remember the number but my aunt lives about three blocks from here. Thanks for your help sir."

Hotch took the phone back and slid it back into his pocket. He helped the kid out the door and returned back to the interrogation room unaware of what had just transpired never knowing that this day would change his life forever.

* * *

><p>Rossi looked at Claire as she walked out of the dressing room of the boutique where they had been wedding dress shopping. The dress she stepped out in was mermaid with a sweetheart neck line. She stepped up onto the platform and then looked at herself in the three way mirror. They had been at the boutique since noon trying on various dresses and Claire was having no luck. This was the tenth dress and Rossi could tell that Claire didn't like it. He was willing to go every shop in the state till she found the dress she liked. This dress just wasn't right.<p>

"I'm not sure I like this one dad. The cut isn't right," she said walking back into the dressing room. Rossi nodded and stood, flagging a sales lady over he stepped out of the waiting room area to the floor of the boutique.

"She doesn't like any of the dresses. Do you mind if I take a look?"

The assistant nodded and left Rossi to walk around. He picked out some dresses that had different cuts and fabrics. But Rossi stopped when he saw a dress in the corner. Walking over he smiled. This was the dress; his baby girl would love it.

* * *

><p>"Hey sweetheart! Do you have a second box?" Hotch yelled from the office a week later.<p>

Claire pushed a box to Hotch from across the hall in the bedroom and turned back to packing the book shelf by the television. The chilly March wind rattled the window and Claire pulled her large wool sweater around her. Vanilla came in and nudged her neck before he licked her cheek.

"Hi, 'Nilla," she said as she scratched his ears. She and Vanilla had been packing on and off for the past two weeks. For the most part, many of her things were still in the boxes that she had packed back in November. Considering that Hotch didn't have many things, packing had been relatively easy.

They had just bought a house in a nice neighborhood about a half-hour from Hotch's work and a forty-five minute drive from Claire's. It was a two story house with three bedroom and two and a half baths, an unfinished basement and a large backyard. Claire had fallen in love with the large bay windows in the back of the house that looked out into a wooded back yard. It had been a nice house in small circle with five other houses. It didn't take her long to finish packing the various books and DVD's in the box. Standing, Claire left the box and walked to the office. She leaned against the door way and sighed.

"You alright?" Hotch asked looking up from the desk where he was sitting going through the desk drawers.

"I'm sick of packing. It will be nice to have a more permanent residence soon."

Before Hotch could reply his cell phone rang and he gave her an apologetic look. Claire turned and went back to the bedroom. Putting the two boxes that contained clothes on the floor by the foot board, she pulled back the heavy comforter and sheets. She took off the sweater and slid into the bed wearing the pajama bottoms and tank top from earlier. She felt Vanilla hop up and rest his head on her hip and nudge her elbow. Lifting her hand, she set it down on his head and scratched his ears.

Vanilla really was a good companion. Hotch had said that the dog used to be a police dog who worked in schools with kids but because the officer suspected Vanilla was having hearing problems in his right ear, the department had retired him after only a year of work and had put him up for adoption. Vanilla was the best behaved dog Claire had ever seen. The dog would come when he was called, sit or lay when he was told and did nothing without being given permission first. Hotch said that she would have that dog's loyalty for life when he learned that she let him sleep with her whenever Hotch was gone but to be honest, she loved the dog to death.

He was smart and protective of her. The first time the door bell had rung, Vanilla had sniffed the crack of the door before letting Claire open it but making sure that she was between him and the person on the other side of the door. The dog was an absolute sweetheart otherwise.

"Do you think he has a case? Is that why you're on the bed Vanilla?" she asked quietly a sudden wave of tiredness sweeping over her. She wasn't surprised that she felt tired. Lori, her boss, had been switching her constantly for the past month between the nightshift and the dayshift. Claire's sleeping patterns had been off and she was fighting to stay awake. She felt the shift of the bed and knew it was Hotch.

"You look like you're about to fall asleep," Hotch said quietly tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. His fingers brushing against the diamond studs he had gotten her for her birthday back in February.

"I am. Packing is a tiring job. Do you have a case?"

"No, that was Maria questioning me on if I was in agreement about the food and the cake. I think she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown. You think I should call your dad and warn him?" Hotch joked.

"Aaron, be nice! This is like her baby. I'm like her baby and she wants everything to be perfect. Besides, I think the cake will be perfect."

"I hope it is. This wedding has practically been planned by text message and picture messaging."

Claire shook her head and closed her eyes, "Wake me up when you're done with the office. We can order pizza and finish the kitchen after dinner."

She missed whatever Hotch said to the dog but felt his lips on her cheek and the blanket being pulled up around her.

* * *

><p>He saw the news paper clipping and printed it out. The picture of her was beautiful. She stood next to Agent Hotchner, her head resting on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Her smile was large and her eyes full of excitement. The clipping was so very informative and as to whom she was.<p>

_Marilyn Hotchner and David Rossi are pleased to announce the engangment of her son Aaron Nicholas Hotchner to his daughter Clarissa Elizabeth Rossi as of December 25. _

He had names and leads now to follow her with…and she would be his. He picked up his camera and snapped a picture of her laying in bed with the dog.

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><p><strong>So...who's curious enough to leave a review? BTW...Her dress can be seen on the profile...more details later...<strong>

EDITED 11/30/2013


	10. Ten: Cinderella

EDITED 12/3/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello! Thanks to shippolove844, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Duchess of Lantern Waste and the nameless one I recieved. **

**I really love that you guys like the story. Keep the reviews coming.**

**I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about the complex Rossi clan...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Ten: Cinderella**

_"...So I will dance with Cinderella  
>While she is here in my arms<br>'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
>Oh, I will dance with Cinderella<br>I don't want to miss even one song  
>'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight<br>And she'll be gone_

_She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed  
>She wants to know if I approve of the dress<br>She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away  
>And I need to practice my dancing<br>Oh, please, Daddy, please?"_

_So I will dance with Cinderella  
>While she is here in my arms<br>'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
>Oh, I will dance with Cinderella<br>I don't want to miss even one song  
>'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight<br>And she'll be gone_

_She will be gone_

_Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand  
>Just glowing and telling us all they had planned<br>She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away  
>But I need to practice my dancing<br>Oh, please, Daddy, please?"_

_So I will dance with Cinderella  
>While she is here in my arms<br>'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
>Oh, I will dance with Cinderella<br>I don't want to miss even one song  
>'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight<br>And she'll be gone..."_

**~ "Cinderella" - Steven Curtis Chapman**

_Two months later…May…_

"How's the planning going?" Gideon asked as he looked up from the file and to Hotch who sat across from him on the jet.

"Good. Most of everything is done and ready. Rossi is a natural party planner. Don't tell him I said that or I might never make it to my own wedding," Hotch replied with a rare smile.

"I got the invitation. The month of June should be pretty," Gideon said with a shrug.

"It was the only weekend open for both the church and the venue at the same time," Hotch told him as he looked down at the file he had in his hand.

"Still weddings have a way of bringing people together and good weather is an added bonus."

* * *

><p>He had been watching her all morning as she directed movers where to put furniture and where certain boxes went. She looked beautiful in a pair of yoga pants and a blue t-shirt with matching tennis shoes. Something about her made him want to touch her. Her tan skin looked sensual in the afternoon light. He wondered how beautiful she would look with her ruby red blood running down her long legs. Picking up another box, he moved into the house began to memorize everything, the bedrooms, the bathrooms, the count of the windows, locks on door, vents, anything in the house that would make it easier to come back later.<p>

* * *

><p>Rossi looked at the menu again and back up at Claire. They were having their weekly Monday afternoon lunch and they were sitting on the patio of her favorite restaurant. She looked like her mother but with the Italian coloring from his side of the family. The closer and closer they were getting to the wedding the more and more he was thinking about Gianna. He found himself wondering what she would think of Aaron. Would she be supportive or would she be just as self-destructive as she had been when she was involved in her addictions? He couldn't remember how many times he had offered to help her get help for her addictions but she always insisted that she wasn't sick or an addict. If she hadn't been Claire's mother he would have been fine to let her continue to hit the self-destruct button but his child had deserved a mother. He had tried to give Claire that by marrying but as Maria had pointed out to him years later, no one could ever replace a child's mother.<p>

Looking at the woman across from him dressed in a soft pink sundress with thin straps over her shoulders, Rossi couldn't believe how much time had passed. It felt like just yesterday he had been swinging her around him as he walked through the front door coming home from a case. It had been wonderful to spend the last few months helping his daughter to plan her wedding but sad. When she had tried on the dress he had picked for her to wear on her wedding day, she had looked like an angel in it. He had tears in his eyes because he knew that Claire wasn't a little girl anymore. She was a woman who was getting married soon. Each day that passed, they came closer to the wedding that had been planned out. Rossi knew that between Maria and Hotchner's mother, everything would be perfect and go off without a hitch. Pulling out the small square package from his pocket he set it down in front of Claire.

"A little present before your big day sweetheart, it'll match your dress," he said with a smile.

"Dad you didn't have to," Claire told him with a soft smile.

Rossi shook his head, "I wanted to. There's a difference. You're my only child and that makes you extra special. Open it."

Claire unwrapped the gift and gasped. It was a beautiful comb for her hair. It was in the shape of half a circle and was a combination of diamonds as the center of the little flowers and pearls as the petals with silver accents.

"That's why you were so against me getting a headband. Oh, Daddy thank-you," Claire gushed as she stood and hugged him tightly, "It's perfect. Thank you!"

"I'm glad you like it so much," Rossi whispered as he cherished the feeling of his daughter in his arms. These were the moments that had carried him through the years of profiling killers. The moments where he could hug and spend time with his daughter without a care in the world knowing that because she was there with him, the world was a little happier and brighter.

"Could we visit Mom?" Claire asked later as they stood to pay, "I always visit her once a year and I was hoping that maybe you would join me."

Rossi nodded and agreed. They left the restaurant and stopped to buy daisies at a local florist shop before taking the hour drive to Summerville Cemetery where Gianna Montenegro was buried. Parking the car, the two of them began to walk up the hill of the graves of the massive cemetery. It was a ten minute walk from the car when they came to Gianna's grave. Her headstone was small headstone with an angel sitting on top of it. They both looked down at the grave and Rossi couldn't help but feel bitter.

_Gianna Allegra Montenegro_

_Mother of Clarissa Elizabeth _

_May 7- October 9_

_Never Forgotten, Always Remembered..._

Claire bent down and placed the daisies on the base of the grave. Together, they sat down on the bench that was opposite the grave. Gianna's husband had put the bench there shortly after she died. It had been a nice gesture and Rossi knew deep down that Gianna's husband had loved her deeply.

"Do you ever think about her Dad?" Claire asked looking at the grave.

Rossi took a deep breath. He knew that these questions would come. Claire had never asked them as a child or a young adult. Now, she wanted to know and she had the right to have the answer. Taking another deep breath, Rossi vowed to himself that he would answer the questions as best he could and be as unbiased as he could.

"Sometimes, I think about what would have happened if Gianna had never been involved with drugs. She started using drugs when she was twenty. When I met her she had been cleaned but I don't know what happened. She began to drink again and picked up cocaine again. She was a beautiful woman. Every time I see you, I see her. She was blonde with your blue eyes and had a slender figure. I thought she was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. Did I love your mother? Not really, I cared a great deal for her but it never went beyond physical attraction. It was like your mother was always destined to be a tragedy. She was orphaned and as an only child she had no family or anyone to help her. She was sent through foster homes and sent back by two adoptive families. Whenever I think about her life, I think that she was just in too much pain emotionally to ever care for anyone and I don't blame her. Were there moments that she was happy? Yes, there were times when we were together that she was smiling, laughing, and joyous. But all good things must come to an end," Rossi said.

"What happened that made her snap? Why did she give up on staying clean?" Claire asked.

"I have never found out the answer to that. I will never understand why. But I remember the battle that I had with her to keep her clean when she was pregnant with you but it was like she just gave up. When you were born, she took one look at you and refused to even touch you. She checked out of the hospital three days later. You were only a baby when she married that rich banker Henri Montenegro. He was a good man and I had hopes that maybe he could help her but he never did and it broke my heart that he only enabled her. When she died...it was no surprise to anyone. No one was shocked, not even me. I think deep down everyone knew that eventually Gianna's lifestyle would catch up with her and it did. I'm only sorry that she hurt you Claire. I think if she had been clean...she would have been a wonderful mother. I know she would have."

He and Claire sat in silence for a while just sitting in the soft breeze and warm air.

"Why did she give me up? Did she ever care about me?" Claire asked her voice breaking as she held back tears, "I just don't understand."

Rossi wrapped an arm around Claire and pull her close. It hurt to see her in so much pain and it hurt even more because he had no concrete answers to give his own daughter about why her mother had abandoned her.

"She loved you more than anything in the world Claire," Rossi said softly, "For years I have tried to understand why she would never see you or talk to you. In the last year, I think I've finally come to understand that your mother loved you so much that she didn't want you to see her in her addiction. I ran into her widowed husband a few months ago and he told me that she always kept your flowers and had your cookies. It was her only connection to you he said and that every time you came Sunday she cried. If she could see you today...I think she'd see a beautiful, strong woman who anyone would be proud to call their daughter. I think she's still looking down at you and is so proud of you Claire, just like I am."

"Thanks Daddy," Claire whispered resting her head on Rossi's chest and hugging him back.

Rossi closed his eyes. He was here with Claire and for the first time in years. He was sitting with his family; Mother, Father, and Daughter.

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><p><strong>So maybe Claire's mom isn't as bad as she seems...leave a review and check out Rossi's gift at my profile page...<strong>

EDITED 12/3/2013


	11. Eleven: Everybody Hurts

EDITED 12/3/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hey Guys! Thanks to Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 and shippolove884 for your reviews! I totally realized that I posted Chapter Ten twice...my bad...anyways here is the real Chapter 11. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

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><p><em>The trouble with learning to parent on the job is that your child is the teacher. ~Robert Brault<em>

**Chapter Eleven: Everybody Hurts**

_"...It seems, I'm losing something deep inside of me  
>Hold on, onto me<em>

_Now I see  
>Now I see<em>

_Everybody hurts some days  
>Its okay to be afraid<br>Everybody hurts  
>Everybody screams<br>Everybody feels this way  
>And its okay<br>La di da di da  
>Its okay<em>

_It feels like nothing really matters anymore  
>When you're gone<br>I can't breathe  
>And I know you never meant to make me feel this way<br>This can't be happening_

_Now I see (now I see)  
>Now I see<em>

_Everybody hurts some days  
>Its okay to be afraid<br>Everybody hurts  
>Everybody screams<br>Everybody feels this way  
>And its okay..."<em>

**~ "Everybody Hurts" - Avril Lavigne**

_One month later…June 15…_

Hearing the doorbell, Hotch walked from the kitchen to the entry hall and opened the door. He was surprised to see his own mother on the doorstep looking nervous.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Marilyn asked with a soft smile.

"Of course," Hotch said as he stepped aside to let her into the silent house. He couldn't figure out why she was at his house as he watched her walk towards the kitchen. Claire had left at four o'clock to spend the evening and night at Rossi's house before the wedding tomorrow. Everything was ready and in place and now all they had to do was wait till tomorrow. He'd expected to send a quiet evening by himself as the women of the family fretted around about last minute details. He'd expected his mother to be one of the many women fretting about those details. What she was doing on his doorstep left him feeling confused. She'd told him the day before that she'd see him at his wedding.

The wedding was to be at three o'clock at St. Francis Xavier and he would marry Claire in front of three hundred of their closest friends and family followed directly by a reception starting at five. The reception was taking place at a fancy hotel called Summerville's Lake. It was a beautiful hotel with a two large ball room and beautiful scenery. Time had passed so quickly and he had been involved in so many cases that he hadn't thought about what he would do the night before the wedding. But when Claire had packed a bag when she got home early from work and told him that she was spending the night with her dad, he had felt a little disappointed but understood that she wanted to be with Rossi.

"What's going on? Is something the matter?" Hotch asked trying not to worry.

"A mother can't see her son the evening before he gets married? Have you eaten dinner yet?" Marilyn asked as dropped her purse on the kitchen table and rested a hand on her hips.

"Sure to the first, no to the second," he said before putting his hands in his pocket. He watched his mother walk around the spacious kitchen grabbing various cooking necessities. He couldn't figure out what she was making and he wasn't really hungry but he knew that his mother wouldn't rest till she made him dinner.

"What time did Claire leave?" Marilyn asked as she took out a bowl and poured ingredients in.

"Around four o'clock. She came home, changed, packed a bag with whatever she needed and left. I walked in the door as she was walking out. Gideon let me leave early," he told her as he sat down on a bar stool at the counter.

Marilyn poured him a glass of water and handed it to him with a smile, "You're about to be married Aaron. I still can't believe it happening. I thought for sure you would have married Haley but I guess that wasn't meant to be. Besides, I like Claire better. She's a strong woman."

"I hope you're right," Hotch mumbled quietly feeling awkward sitting in his own kitchen with a glass of water and his mother cooking.

Marilyn dropped the spoon that she had been using and walked over to her son. It was as if she could sense his discomfort and it only made more uncomfortable.

"I know that I'm right Aaron," she said softly, "You have all of the wonderful qualities that will make you a good husband. I don't think Claire would marry you if she didn't think that you would be a wonderful husband. Why are you all of a sudden nervous? If it's because I'm here I can go Aaron. I just wanted to spend time with you. Things have been hectic lately and I just wanted to see you."

"No mom, it's fine. I want you here and I'm not nervous or uncomfortable," he told her with a tight smile.

Marilyn chuckled and hugged her son tightly, "You've always been a horrible liar Aaron. It's normal to feel a little bit of nerves before your wedding. I was nervous before I married your father."

"I would be nervous to if I were marrying him," Hotch mumbled under his breath. Marilyn gave her son a sad look and shook her head before returning to the counter where she had been cooking. The momentary hug had ended and Hotch couldn't help but feel cold without his mother hugging him. Marilyn continued to work on making dinner and Hotch watched her. He knew that his words hurt her but he didn't know what to say that could fix what he'd said.

"He wasn't always abusive Aaron," Marilyn finally said quietly after a few silent minutes, "He was once a kind handsome man when I met him in high school. One day, I wasn't even sure what had happened...he just snapped. Thinking back, it was probably the stress of work and of everything that just made him snap. I kept thinking that one day he would stop. But it never happened and when he started to hurt you I felt like my world had ended. It was then that I realized that he would never change. I know that I've never talked to you about it much and I'm sorry Aaron. I'm so sorry that I let him do that to you. I should have found the courage to leave when it started but I didn't and you suffered the most from it. I'm so sorry," she cried.

Hotch went to his mother and hugged her. He didn't even registering his own tears as she cried and apologized over and over.

"It's okay mom. Please don't cry. I forgave you a long time ago. Please forgive yourself mom," he whispered to her.

Marilyn just cried harder and held on to her son tightly, "I love you so much Aaron. It's part of a mother's job to protect her babies from harm and I didn't protect you. I didn't keep you safe as a child and for that sin I don't think that I'll ever forgive myself. I don't know how you can forgive me."

"I can forgive you because you did what you thought was right at the time mom."

They stood there in the kitchen, mother and son, hugging tightly till Marilyn pulled away and rested a hand on her son's cheek, "I think that you're more nervous that you'll end up like your father then you are about actually getting married."

Hotch looked at his mother with a guilt face, "How did you know?"

Marilyn smiled a water smile at her son.

"I'm your mother. I've know you all your life. You can't lie to me Aaron. I'll always know. And know this Aaron; you'll never be like your father. You have so many people around you that love you. Even though you may look like your father, you're not him. You are so much better than him. Claire loves you and you love her more deeply than your father and I loved each other. Don't let his actions dictate who you will be. You're not him."

Hotch didn't say anything but hugged his mother back feeling better. She had been right. He wasn't his father and he wouldn't end up like him. Aaron Hotchner deep down knew he would rather take a bullet between his eyes before he ever abused his future wife and children.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Now how does take out sound? I think would rather order out from your favorite restaurant than try to make something in this second. I'm not sure I even remember what it was I was going to cook."

Hotch laughed and grabbed the phone on the counter. Fishing through the drawer, he found they take out pamphlet to his favorite Asian restaurant and order dinner.

For the first time in a long time Hotch sat and talked with his mother about anything and everything. He learned many things about his own childhood that he didn't remember and things about his own mother that he didn't even know about. It was in one night that he found the relationship he'd once had with his mother repaired. At eleven o'clock when his mother stood and announced she would be heading back home but Hotch offered her the guest bedroom upstairs and they agreed she would spend the night rather than driving back across D.C. to her lonely house.

It had been agreed that Claire would get ready at Rossi's house and go to the church at two o'clock. Hotch would get ready at the house and then he would arrive at the church at two-thirty. They would get married at three o'clock and then would take pictures before heading off to the hotel and reception where they would stay for the night. The next day they would leave at noon for their honeymoon in the Caribbean. After having spent the better part of his evening talking with his mother, Hotch felt better. He didn't feel nervous. A warm feeling of happiness settled inside of him and with that warm feeling he headed up to bed. He knew that he probably wouldn't sleep right away but he knew that after tomorrow he would never be alone.

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><p><strong>WE'RE CLOSE TO THE BIG DAY! WANNA GET CLOSER? LEAVE A REVIEW!<strong>

EDITED 12/3/2013


	12. Twelve: You Can Let Go

EDITED 12/4/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hello Everyone! **

**Who's ready for the big day? Show hands and in this case leave some reviews! I know I have people who are subscribing but aren't leaving reviews. To the handful of those who do, you know who you are, thank you so much! I'm glad you're loving it so far...it takes five seconds to leave that review...I know you can do it...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: You Can Let Go<strong>

_"...He was runnin' right beside me_  
><em>His hand holdin' on the seat<em>  
><em>I took a deep breath and hollered<em>  
><em>As I headed for the street<em>

_You can let go now, Daddy_  
><em>You can let go<em>  
><em>Oh, I think I'm ready<em>  
><em>To do this on my own<em>  
><em>(It's still) (It still feels) a little bit scary<em>  
><em>But I want you to know<em>  
><em>I'll be okay now, Daddy<em>  
><em>You can let go<em>

_I was standin' at the altar_  
><em>Between the two loves of my life<em>  
><em>To one I've been a daughter<em>  
><em>To one I soon would be a wife<em>  
><em>When the preacher asked,<em>  
><em>'Who gives this woman?'<em>  
><em>Daddy's eyes filled up with tears<em>  
><em>He kept holdin' tightly to my arm<em>  
><em>'Til I whispered in his ear<em>

_You can let go now, Daddy_  
><em>You can let go<em>  
><em>Oh, I think I'm ready<em>  
><em>To do this on my own<em>  
><em>(It's still) (It still feels) a little bit scary<em>  
><em>But I want you to know<em>  
><em>I'll be okay now, Daddy<em>  
><em>You can let go<em>

_It was killin' me to see_  
><em>The strongest man I ever knew<em>  
><em>Wastin' away to nothin'<em>  
><em>In that hospital room<em>  
><em>'You know he's only hangin' on for you'<em>  
><em>That's what the night nurse said<em>  
><em>My voice and heart were breakin'<em>  
><em>As I crawled up in his bed, and said<em>

_You can let go now, Daddy_  
><em>You can let go<em>  
><em>Your little girl is ready<em>  
><em>To do this on my own<em>  
><em>It's gonna be a little bit scary<em>  
><em>But I want you to know<em>  
><em>I'll be okay now, Daddy..."<em>

**~ "You Can Let Go" - Crystal Shawanda**

_June 16..._

David Rossi had been awake since the sun had come up. He had sat in his office looking through the scrap book of newspaper clippings and pictures highlighting Claire's athletic accomplishments from high school. The idea that she was getting married today was still hard to process. She wasn't a little girl anymore. She was a grown woman who was marrying a man today. Dave had always hoped that Claire would marry someone with a more normal occupation; he hadn't expected his baby to meet her future husband at the BAU. That had never been his intention. He'd never wanted her to live in fear of a phone call like she had when she had been a child, or that a knock at the door could forever change her life.

But today she was marrying Aaron Hotchner and out of all the agents he knew, Hotchner was the best of them. Rossi knew that if she married anyone he would want to be someone like Hotch. He could live in peace knowing that while Hotch might be away but Claire would be taken care of, protected and loved by the man. He had always known that she would marry. Now that the day was here he wished that he could rewind the pass years and go back and spend more time with her. Appreciate the time he had been given and not take for granted that she had always been standing on the first step of the staircase when he came home. Had he known then what he knew now, Rossi would have taken more time to be with her and be a father.

Standing and looking at the clock which read ten minutes past eight, Rossi walked out of the office and down stairs to the kitchen. Maria had set breakfast out on the enclosed patio in the back that overlooked the large backyard. The old lone swing set still stood under the old oak tree where the still well oiled swing moved with the gentle breeze. How many Sundays did Rossi stand there under that oak tree and push his Claire on the swing set? Listen to her laughter ring out through the trees of the backyard as they played tag? It all seemed like it had just happened yesterday and yet felt like a lifetime ago.

"Morning Dad!" Claire's excited voice drifted to him. She was barefoot and dressed in a pair of jean shorts with a button dress shirt that Rossi recognized as Aaron's. She walked to him and gave him a hug before she turned to sit down on the black patio chair at the table. Claire grabbed a plate and quickly put fruit on it and grabbed the Greek yogurt that Maria had sitting on ice. Her excitement was natural but it still caught him off guard.

"Are you going to sit down?" Claire asked as she poured a glass of orange juice, "How did you sleep?"

"I slept fine thank you. You?" Rossi asked sitting down across from Claire. The table umbrella shaded them from the already hot in the sky above.

"I slept like a baby. It took a while to fall asleep but I did around two."

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Rossi spoke up again after serving himself some food.

"I think that the weather today will be perfect bambina," he said throwing his napkin on his plate and looking at Claire as she drank the rest of her orange juice. Setting the glass down, Claire smiled at Rossi and shook her head.

"Bambina? Papa io non sono una ragazza poco piu," she said leaning forward and resting her hand over his.

"You will always be my little girl Claire," Rossi replied holding his daughter's hand with a sad smile.

Laura's entrance ended the moment a few seconds later.

"Mr. Rossi, Claire," she said smiling and give a one armed hug to each of them, "I can't believe today finally arrived. Oh! I stopped by your house today to grab that silver nail polish you texted me about last night, well anyway Aaron and his brother were getting back from breakfast and Aaron told me I had to give this to you."

Laura held out a black box with an cream colored envelope addressed to Claire.

"How was he?" Claire asked giddy from excitement as she took the black box and letter, "Did he look tired? Or excited? Tell me!"

Rossi chuckled and shook his head. She was like a child at Christmas again.

"He had a smile on his face and I think is brother might have put something in his coffee because he was way to calm. When Roberto and I married he was so nervous he was throwing up before the ceremony," Laura replied with an eye roll.

They all made a face at the mention of Laura's ex-husband, Roberto Henderson. The man was a nasty piece of work and had a sharp tongue. The only thing that Laura and Roberto still had in common was their young son Tomas, Claire's only god-child.

"On a happier note," Rossi said as he watched Claire open the envelope and pulled out the card inside, "That's good his all smiles."

Claire barely heard the response as she covered her mouth in tearful laughter, "He's so wonderful!"

Rossi took the letter and looked at it as Claire opened the black box. He couldn't help but smile as he saw the words on the page.

_I can't wait to marry you. Love, Aaron._

Laura's squeals of excitement made him look up as Claire showed off the contents of the box. Inside was a pair of diamond and pearl earrings. The diamonds arranged perfectly into a flower with petals and the pearls dropping from the flowers in the shape of tear drops. It instantly brought tears to Claire's eyes as Laura hugged her tightly.

"Oh! They're so beautiful!"

Laura was looking over her shoulder and smiling as her best friend making a comment about how thoughtful Hotchner was. Rossi sat back and watched. He smiled to himself about how perceptive the man was. Hotch had found the earrings months ago when Claire had pointed them out on a whim saying that they would be perfect for her dress. Hotch had taken him when he'd gone back to buy them as a gift for Claire's wedding day. Rossi had already had the comb which was his mother's and by pure chance both pieces of jewelry had had flowers made out of pearls and diamonds. It worked out like a charm and Rossi was grateful Hotch was including him in every step of their lives.

"Oh! Daddy! These were the ones I wanted! Aaron and I were walking down the street back in April and I pointed them out. I didn't even think about it. I thought that they were just beautiful," Claire said tearfully as she took them out and put them on. The diamond flowers sparkled in the sunlight as the light hit them.

She looked radiant and to Rossi, she looked like a bride.

* * *

><p>Laura and Claire had left the house around nine o'clock to have their hair done and whatever else it was that women did on their big days. Rossi looked out of the window to the backyard again and looked at the garden's flowers. He remember the day the rose bushes had first been planted. He had come home early from a case and the house had been empty. He had heard laughter in the backyard and had gone to the sound of the laughter. Claire and Maria had been with the gardener planting the rose bushes when they had seen him. Claire had had two french braids that had swung when she had run towards him in messy overalls and a green t-shirt. She had disregarded his clean suit as most sweet six year old children tend to do and she had thrown herself at him. At the time, he had been angry with her for getting mud all over him but now he wished he could go back and help them finish the project instead of getting angry with her and walking off.<p>

"Are you alright?" Maria asked smoothing the black jacket of Rossi's suit as she hung it up on the door.

"I was thinking about those roses bushes," Rossi said as he buttoned the last button on his snow white dress shirt.

"I remember that day. Poor Claire was so upset that she had gotten mud on your suit that it took Mr. Mallory and I almost an hour to calm her down."

Rossi chuckled and proceeded to tie his bow tie, "I was thinking if I could have done that day differently I would have. I would have laughed it off and helped you all with it but at the time all I could think about was that I had mud all over new my pants."

Maria helped him into his jacket and adjusted his coat and the seams on it.

"I think Dave that you did the best you could at the time. Besides, look at Claire. She's a well grown young woman. Smart, beautiful, accomplished, you name it and it's all possible because her father gave her a good head on her shoulders. You did that Dave. Not me or any of your ex-wives. You did that all on your own."

Rossi nodded and went back to getting ready.

* * *

><p>"It's time," Maria said quietly to Rossi later that afternoon. All the guests had arrived and the everything was sent. Every detail from the flowers to the photographer had been taken care of. Marilyn had even called the hotel and was assured that everything was ready for them later. Mounting the stairs, Rossi took the steps one at a time and felt an assault of memories in his mind. This was a church that held both good and bad memories for Claire and him. Claire had been baptized at the church as well having made first communion, confirmation and had attended countless weddings. This had also been the church that had been the site of her mother's funeral and the site of many others. Friends, family, co-workers...all lives ended to soon. Reaching the door, Rossi knocked and was granted access. Claire was surrounded by her three brides maids and they were all examining her to make sure she was perfect.<p>

"It's five till three girls. It's time," Rossi said walking towards the mirror where Claire stood in front of. She was standing in front of full length mirror in her wedding dress and she was a beautiful bride. Her hair was pulled back into an elegant bun and the full length Vail began under the bun. The jeweled comb that he had given her was placed in her hair to the side of the bun perfectly. Turning around, Claire smiled at him.

Her dress was beautiful. A cream color that was strapless with a ball gown silhouette and a floor length hemline. The bodice of the dress was a cream french silk with lace stitching around it and a thin ribbon tied around her tiny waist. The skirt was made of french tulle and more french lace was stitched around the hemline of the dress and the cathedral length gown. The pearl and diamond earrings that Hotch had given Claire sparkled in the light of the afternoon that shown through the window.

"Ready?" she asked as the bridesmaids left the room.

Rossi nodded and walked to her to kiss her cheek.

"You look beautiful Claire. I'm ready if you are."

"Thank you Dad. I'm more then ready," she told him with a bright smile that hadn't left her face since breakfast.

* * *

><p>Sofia, Claire's roommate from college and best friend was the first to go down the isle with Hotch's old friend Doug Thomas from high school. They were followed by Claire's cousin Katrina and Aaron's cousin Mark. The maid of honor, Laura was with her son who was carrying the rings. Sean was the best man carried Tomas as he escorted Laura down the aisle.<p>

The doors to the chapel closed after Laura had gone down the isle with Sean. One of the church personnel stepped forward to adjust the train of Claire dress as they stood in the archway before the door and waited for the doors to open. Just as the doors were about to open Claire stopped them.

"Dad. I'm missing something blue," she said worried as she looked at him nervously.

"What?"

"I have something old, something borrowed, something new, I don't have anything blue."

Rossi chuckled. Leave it to Claire to stick to a tradition. Putting his hand into his pocket, Rossi pulled out the blue ribbon that Claire had worn years ago as a child.

"Give me your flowers."

Rossi took the red roses and wrapped the blue ribbon around the stems and handed them back to Claire. Claire's eyes teared at the sight of the ribbon.

"You still have my ribbon? From grade school?"

"I have most of the things from when you were a child in the attic. Although I've always kept this ribbon with me. Whenever I would go away on a case or anywhere for that matter, I would take this out when I needed inspiration or we weren't getting anywhere. It has always served as a good reminder to me that even though there are so many evils in the world there is good. I love you very much and you will always be the center of my world. Now are you ready to get married? Hotchner's probably sweating bullet's thinking you've abandoned him," Rossi smiled as he thought about the normally calm and collected Hotch freaking out. Claire smiled and rested her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Thank you Daddy for everything. I love you too," she whispered as the doors opened and everyone in the church stood.

* * *

><p>David Rossi sat in his chair at the reception of the newly married Mr. And Mrs. Aaron Hotchner. As a part of the reception, they walked to each table and greeted each guest with hugs and thanks of joining them on their big day. They were working on it but three hundred guest was still a lot of people to smile and thank. Together though, Mr and Mrs. Hotchner looked like the perfect couple.<p>

Aaron was tall at 6'2" and cut a tux like no other man could with broad shoulders that narrowed down into a narrow waist. The bow tie, Rossi was sure, added the extra sex appeal to the women. His serious nature and imposing figure contrasted perfectly to Claire's petite 5'6" frame and slender body. Her infectious smile and happy personality brought out a side of Aaron Hotchner that many didn't know existed. Gideon had made a comment earlier about how so many people must have been in shock and surprised to learn that Aaron Hotchner had dimples when he smiled.

The first half of the reception passed in a pleasant blur of toast by Laura and Sean who both brought tears to everyone's face. The two of them together had put a slide show together showing both Aaron and Claire's lives before they met, during their courtship, and picture from the morning as both of them got ready to get married. It was entertaining to see pictures that no one had seen of Hotchner as a teenager. Their first dance had been beautiful. It was like they were the only ones in the ballroom. They had eyes for each other only and no one else. It was almost uncomfortable to watch because it felt like such a private moment between them. They had the most beautiful reception that David Rossi had ever seen. The tables were set perfectly with red napkins and cream colored table cloths. Maria and Marilyn had truly out done themselves. It was close to one o'clock in the morning when Rossi watched from his place next to Gideon at a round table by the dance floor as Aaron approached Claire and whispered in her ear as his hand rested on her lower back and toyed with the tiny pearl drop buttons of her dress.

"Looks like they're heading back to their honeymoon suite for the night," Gideon said with a wink as he nudged Rossi.

"I know, this moment had to come," Rossi replied with an eye roll, "They're married though...so no harm, I guess."

Claire and Aaron tried to quietly make their way to the grand staircase of the ballroom but the DJ caught them and shined a spot light towards them. The beading on Claire's dress sparkled as Laura's voice came over the microphone.

"She hasn't tossed her flowers yet Aaron. I'll give you a by and let you plead being the 'I'm a guy and clueless about weddings' card on that score but Claire knows. Besides, you've got a lifetime. Chill out."

The crowd laughed and Aaron and Claire stopped on the third step of the staircase as the DJ called all the single women to order to stand on the floor below them. He watched as Hotch said something to Claire and her head fell back as laughed. Her dress was beautiful as the train fell perfectly against the staircase. Hotchner stood a few steps above her as she looked behind her and smiled to the women. It was when Aaron smiled and laughed that she tossed the flowers back to the woman who fought for it.

In the end, a blushing Sofia, who stood next to Sean Hotchner, caught it. The crowd laughed as they both moved away from each other. Rossi chuckled as he watched Sofia mumble in Italian about being stuck at weddings and catching flowers. The crowd watched as Claire took Hotch's offered hand. He was disappointed that he would be able to say good-bye before she left for her honeymoon. He was once a newlywed and didn't expect them to show the next morning till the last second when they had to check out before leaving for the airport. Claire only took two steps up the staircase before she held up and index finger to Aaron as if to signal a moment and walked back down the stair case leaving Hotch towards the middle.

Rossi looked at her curiously as she walked across the ballroom towards him and Gideon. Standing when she reached him, Clarie just smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"You didn't think I'd leave you without saying goodbye Daddy did you? I probably won't see you till I get back. Besides, I have to give you back. My something blue," she said and gently pressed the blue ribbon into his hands She smiled a watery smile at him as Rossi fingered the blue ribbon.

He felt tears gather in his eyes as he hugged her tightly, "I love you very much my bambina."

"Sarò sempre il tuo papà bambina. Io ti amo non importa quale. Hanno sempre lo sarà sempre. Anche il pensiero tutti i tempi buoni e cattivi. Come faccio a non ti sto orso Claire?" She whispered back and with one last glance, she turned back and walked to the staircase where she took Hotch's offered hand as he led her up the staircase. They took a left hand turn and were out of sight.

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><p><strong>REVIEW BELOW PLEASE...They are very much appreciated and enjoyed...5 seconds that's it. It's not even painful...<strong>

**Translations:**

Sarò sempre il tuo papà bambina. Io ti amo non importa quale. Hanno sempre lo sarà sempre. Anche il pensiero tutti i tempi buoni e cattivi. Come faccio a non ti sto orso Claire?~ I'll always be your little girl papa. I love you no matter what. Always have always will. Even throught all the good times and bad. How can I not I'm you Claire bear?

Bambina? Papa io non sono una ragazza poco piu. ~ Little girl? Papa I'm not a little girl anymore.

EDITED 12/4/2013


	13. Thirteen: Breath

EDITED 12/4/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Again! I know that I just updated yesterday but I totally couldn't resist not posting this a little bit early...**

**Thanks to Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, camiguin and shippolove844 for your reviews! You rock! **

**The rest of ya'll out there I know you want to join the amazing folks listed above and review!:)**

**Anyway, word of caution this chapter does contain swear words as well as some disturbing images. Please read with caution if such things make you uncomfortable. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes." ~ Antisthenes<br>_

**Chapter Thirteen: Breath**

_"...And the more I see the less I like_  
><em>Is it over yet?<em>  
><em>In my head<em>

_I know nothing of your kind_  
><em>And I won't reveal your evil mind<em>  
><em>Is it over yet?<em>  
><em>I can't wait<em>

_So sacrifice yourself and let me have what's left_  
><em>I know that I can find the fire in your eyes<em>  
><em>I'm going all the way, get away, please<em>

_You take the breath right out of me_  
><em>You left a hole where my heart should be<em>  
><em>You gotta fight just to make it through<em>  
><em>'Cause I will be the death of you<em>

_This will be all over soon_  
><em>Pour salt into the open wound<em>  
><em>Is it over yet?<em>  
><em>Let me in<em>

_So sacrifice yourself and let me have what's left_  
><em>I know that I can find the fire in your eyes<em>  
><em>I'm going all the way, get away, please<em>

_You take the breath right out of me_  
><em>You left a hole where my heart should be<em>  
><em>You gotta fight just to make it through<em>  
><em>'Cause I will be the death of you..."<em>

**~ "Breath" - Breaking Benjamin**

They had been married close to three years now and his Claire had just turned thirty. He had watched her everyday and he was falling in love with her more and more. His hatred of Agent Hotchner was becoming harder and harder to control. That's why she had to die. He may love her, but the only way to free his love from her husband was to kill her. It would be his ultimate revenge. Killing her would satisfy him and destroy Hotchner. He had watched her everyday since he had moved to Virginia.

He'd watched her shop for her wedding dress.

He'd watched her with Hotchner doing daily things like shopping or cleaning.

He'd watched her at her mother's grave with her father.

He'd watched her get married to Hotchner and had seen the reception where she had danced with him.

He'd watched them on their first night as man and wife. He'd watched Hotchner unbutton every button and strip her down till she wore nothing and only had the diamond and pearl earrings on.

He'd watched them on their honeymoon as they explored not only the island retreat that they had stayed at but their body.

He'd watched their first fight about work, money and could tell that they had been both a little stressed at the time. Hotchner had brought his love roses as an apology gift and kissed her.

He'd watched their time spent as newly weds doing all the things that newly weds did...

He'd watched them in public.

He'd watched them in private.

He had pictures of Claire for everyday of the year.

Pictures of her running with her silly friend Laura.

Pictures of her shopping at the local mall and trying on skimpy underwear and other racy bedrooom things...

Pictures of her buying groceries and talking on her phone.

Pictures of her at family gatherings.

Pictures of her out and about doing various things like walking that goddamned dog named Vanilla, picking up Hotchner's dry cleaning, watching Tomas' soccer games...

Pictures of her working, swimming, having lunch with her father, joking with Sofia, scrubbing her kitchen floor, watching Tom and Jerry, cooking, sleeping on her couch, seducing Hotchner...

He had pictures of everything.

When they had gone on their honeymoon he had put cameras in their house. He had even put cameras in their bedroom. He could watch her sleep every night and he had videos of their whole history as a married couple having sexual relations.

He was always in the house when they weren't home. Taking pictures of every cabinet, suface, closet.

He knew that she had twenty-one shoes.

He knew Hotchner had sixteen neckties that he constantly circulated.

He knew her wedding dress was kept in the spare bedroom closet.

He knew Hotchner's office safe combination was 15-06-50.

He knew inside of the safe was everything important to them including pictures, jewelry and money. Anything of value. Things he didn't care for.

He had watched as their marriage for the past six months had been worn down by Hotchner's constant working and commitment to the job.

He had watched his poor Claire cry herself to sleep some nights when all he wanted to do was to comfort her.

For close to three and a half years he had watched her and them together. Soon, it would all end...just like his family. There would be no more happy Hotchner family anymore.

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><p><strong>REVIEW! So...is this guy a total creeper or what? More reviews equal faster updates...<strong>

EDITED 12/4/2013


	14. Fourteen: Home

EDITED 12/4/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to my Gold Star Club including the line up of my fabulous reviewers: Starangel5593, Crysta;-Wolf-Guardian-967, Grace Adara Pendragon, wolves-rain-chick, camiguin, p95000, shippolove884 and Elfsquire90! **

**You all rock!**

**FYI: Claire and Hotch have been married for close to three years in this chapter...get your time machine ready...  
><strong>**Anyway, I'm debating on whether or not to change the rating on this to M because of questionable content in the story in some places. Between the stalker dude and some of the more intimate parts of the story so far I'm not quite sure...what do you guys think? I'm sorry if this chapter to some seems more M then T, please let me know. ****I hope you enjoy this Chapter! Claire meets Morgan and Reid and we learn an earth shattering secret direct from our stalker...REVIEWS PLEASE! Join the Gold Star Club!**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

**PS: Elfsquire90 ~ I know I told you yesterday that I would have a new chapter up last night but I had to re-write this one because I had to change how Claire meets them all...this works out much better. **

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><p><em>"Love is a choice you make from moment to moment."~ Barbara de Angelis<em>

**Chapter Fourteen: Home**

_"...May be surrounded by  
>A million people I<br>Still feel all alone  
>I just wanna go home<br>Oh, I miss you, you know_

_And I've been keeping all the letters  
>That I wrote to you<br>Each one a line or two  
>"I'm fine baby, how are you?"<em>

_Well I would send them but I know  
>That it's just not enough<br>My words were cold and flat  
>And you deserve more than that<em>

_Another airplane  
>Another sunny place<br>I'm lucky I know  
>But I wanna go home<br>Mmm, I got to go home_

_Let me go home  
>I'm just too far<br>From where you are  
>I wanna come home<em>

_And I feel just like  
>I'm living someone else's life<br>It's like I just stepped outside  
>When everything was going right<em>

_And I know just why you could not  
>Come along with me<br>That this was not your dream  
>But you always believed in me<em>

_Another winter day  
>Has come and gone away..."<em>

**~ "Home" - Michael Buble**

_Early March...Three years later..._

Hotch could feel Claire's head shift on his chest as she tucked herself closer to him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her as he looked down at her. They had fallen asleep on the couch facing each other after having made love for a few hours. The clock on the mantle above the fireplace in the living room read two-twenty am. He wasn't sure what had awoken him but he had thought he'd heard the creaking of a door upstairs, the sound of a camera and footsteps. Listening, the house was otherwise silent except for the sound of Claire's gentle breathing.

Thunder rumbled in the background and a flash of lightning the ripped across the sky in the large windows of the living room illuminated it briefly. Hotch could see the trail of clothes they had left in their haste to get to the couch. The dark emerald dress Claire had worn earlier that had fit her like a glove and had driven him crazy for most of the night was now a crumpled heap on the floor next to his black tux jacket. They'd attended a charity benefit earlier in the night with Rossi who had had the extra tickets and demanded their attendance citing they need time for themselves. It had been nice to go out with Claire and spend time simply in her company and enjoying her smiles. The jazz band that had played had been excellent and the hotel which hosted it had reminded them both of a place right out of a classic 1930's movie.

When they had gotten home around mid-night, both of them barely made it through the door while trying not to kiss, touch or tug at each other clothes. It had been hopeless trying not too. Hotch inwardly smiled at the thought that they were lucky that they made it to the couch if anything. He had a hard time trying to remember the last time Claire and him had had sex and it hadn't been a quickie. The past few months had taken a toll on every aspect of their life to together. The ER where she worked had around January suffered major staffing problems when a group of nurses had simply quit and had given no notice or anything. Claire and Sofia had been working overtime just to make sure that the ER could function to a reasonable degree. They had been looking for replacements for months but so far no one had fit the bill of what they needed. Most of the applicants were not qualified to do the work that was needed to be done.

On his own end, the work load at the BAU had tripled so much so that they needed to bring in more agents. Agent Derek Morgan and Doctor Spencer Reid had just started two months ago but even with their help the work was overwhelming at times. The director was breathing down the team's neck and had begun to question Gideon's leadership. There were also whispers that the director would be making Gideon step down as unit chief in the future. Politics had moved into the office and Hotch had been forced to play it for the last three months against his will. He just wished the director would decide soon so his marriage wouldn't feel as stressed as it had been feeling since New Year's.

It was laying there on his couch in the dead of the night with his sleeping wife curled into him that Hotch felt relaxed for the first time in a long time. Tonight had been the first time in weeks that he had actual been able to make love to Claire and not feel rushed or like he was the only one that had their needs met. It was even nicer to know that he would be home today and that he could spend time with Claire and reconnect with her emotionally and sexually even more.

"What time is it?" Claire mumbled half-asleep still shivering as she shifted once again to pull the small blanket that was covering them closer to her shoulders.

Aaron kissed her behind her ear as he rubbed her back and exposed shoulder as she shivered again. The house was still a little cold from the outside's frigid winter air. Reaching behind her quickly, Hotch grabbed the large quilt that rested on the back of the couch before it fell off. Wrapping them both up, he heard her sigh of contentment once he had them both secure and warm under the quilt.

"It's half passed two sweetheart. Go back to sleep," he mumbled quietly into her hair as she tucked her head under his chin.

"Only if you do," she whispered before kissing his chest.

Aaron closed his eyes as he felt her press her body into his. He wanted to make love again to her again but they both needed to sleep. Her body was pressed as close as possible to him and he ran his hand down the length of her spine before resting it on her hip beneath the quilt and repeating the process again a few times. Her skin was so soft to the touch just like her lips were to kiss. Her even breathing soon after alerted him to the fact that she had gone back to sleep and he felt his own eyes growing heavy. He felt relaxed and happy as followed her into blissful oblivion.

* * *

><p>He watched them as he glanced over the back of the couch. His Claire was tucked between Hotchner and the pillows. Her head resting beneath the man's chin and Hotchner's face was buried in her hair. Agent Aaron Hotchner had almost seen him taking pictures of them asleep. He already had two cameras that had recorded the whole encounter as well as pictures of them having sex. It was interesting. He hadn't expected Hotchner to change positions or the setting of where the couple usually had sex. Hotchner hadn't for a while. When they had first gotten married, Hotchner and his Claire had had sex every where in the house. Recently, Hotchner had been working longer hours at work and any sex they had was usually a quickie upstairs in the shower. But tonight, Hotchner had surprised him. Once the man had gotten Claire out of her emerald gown and they had both been wearing nothing, Hotchner had his Claire lay on her side facing away from the camera as her husband had faced her back and loved her. Like they were spooning while having sex.<p>

He was pleased and disappointed with them. The two video cameras had gotten different angles and the pictures he had taken were in different places too and he was extremely happy with them but they hardly showed any footage of Claire. She had been hidden for the most part from view by Hotchner and it made him seethe with anger inside. But what made him the most pissed of all was that the condom in the trash can had a tear in it. Even with Claire on the pill the chances of her falling pregnant were had missed all of the pills from the week before and it was the end of the pack which was the most risky time to miss them. It drastically improve her chances of becoming pregnant...

* * *

><p>Derek Morgan knew it was ten am on their Sunday off and Hotch was probably sleeping or doing some other relaxing activity with his wife but when the Section Chief called and told him about what had happened in Boston, Morgan knew Hotch would be pissed if he didn't tell him. Problem was that his phone was off or dead and Morgan didn't know what the man's house phone number was but he had an address. Hotch just didn't talk about his personal life at all. If the man didn't wear a ring you would never guess that he was married.<p>

"Do you think he's up?" Reid asked from the passenger seat next to Morgan as they turned into the subdivision where Hotch lived and passed a sign.

_Worthington Creek Homes_

"Honestly? I have no idea," Morgan replied as he looked at the street name signs.

York Street, Dewberry Lane, Oak Circle, Goya Drive. It was a five minute drive down the main street called Worthington Lane before they came to Hotch's street, Creek Lane.

Morgan turned down it and saw the street dead end into a circle. Hotch's address was to the house on the left, closest to the center house of the circle and he pulled in. The house was a soft cream and had black shutters and a black front door. It wasn't what Morgan would have pictured Hotch buying. He and Reid exited the SUV and walked to brick foot path that connected the driveway to the large wrap around front porch of the house. Two large white wicker chairs and a small white table sat there with a cream wool dog bed to the side of one. The porch had a distinctive lived in feel to it. Morgan rang the door bell and heard it echo inside. A dog barked and he could hear footsteps coming to the door. The door opened and Hotch stood there looking frustrated. He was dressed in dinner pants and a crookedly buttoned up dress shirt barefoot. The dog was sitting next to him and looking at them both with guarded curiosity.

"Morgan, Reid. What's up?" Hotch asked sounding agitated.

"It's Boston. Can we come in and explain?" Morgan asked suddenly nervous they had intruded on something intimate.

"Uh...yeah give me a second," Hotch said closing the door again.

Yep, they had definitely interrupted something sexual in nature. Morgan winced as he heard hurried movement from behind the doors and the sound of a female voice mumbling words to Hotch. Reid gave Morgan a curious look which he choice to ignore. Hotch opened the front door again and unlocked the screen door to let them in. He stepped to the side as they walked in before closing and locking both the front and the screen door behind them.

The inside of the house was pleasant and warm. Something Morgan hadn't expected from Hotch either. The foray was a cream color with the living room to the left and the dining room to the right. The floor was wood and the living room had white colored carpet. A curved staircase with wide steps led to a second floor with white doors and soft tan walls.

A high heeled shoe sitting on the floor by the couch caught Morgan's attention as he looked back at the living room television that he had heard that was playing a movie. He and Reid had definitely interrupted something and they were the cause of Hotch's agitation earlier when he'd answered the door.

"If you walk straight through that door way you can get coffee," Hotch said as they followed his directions and walked into the hall that was straight in front of them down the long open hall way. The kitchen was large and spacious with light blue walls and a dark wood kitchen table sat in a less formal dinning room with four chairs. The counter tops were marble and the appliances were stainless steel. Hotch walked around the island to a cupboard and grabbed three mugs and poured coffee into two of the mugs, handing each of the guest's one.

"There's half-an-half in the refrigerator with the milk and sugar's on the table. Help yourself. The dog, Vanilla, shouldn't bother you," Hotch said as he poured himself the third cup of coffee and leaned against the counter dog sat staring at Morgan and Reid, studying their every movement. Reid walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the half-an-half before returning to stand next to Morgan.

"You have a nice house Hotch," Reid said after moment as he awkwardly looking around the kitchen.

All three of them were uncomfortable though Hotch showed no emotion in his face or body language. He was too concerned with figuring out why the hell Morgan and Reid were inside his house at ten am on a Sunday and why he wasn't upstairs having sex with his wife. He was also uncomfortable with his co-workers having just shown up at his house unannounced.

"Thanks, I take it though this isn't a social call. What's going on?"

Morgan took a deep breath and stood, "The director called me about an hour ago saying that something had happened in Boston. I guess Gideon and a SWAT team found that bomber Adrian Bale and long story short six men were killed as well as some civilians. Gideon is at a hospital in Boston and the director wants us to go up to Boston and make sure the mess is cleaned up. His words not mine."

Hotch looked down at his shoes for a moment and then looked into his backyard. He had told Claire he would be around for the day. That there were no cases and she could have his undivided attention on whatever she needed. They had both been looking forward to spending the cold, rainy day on the couch naked and relaxing with each other. Now, he wanted to kick something but the famous Hotchner control that he was known for was kicking in. It was a few minutes before Hotch spoke.

"How bad is Gideon?" he sighed rubbing his forehead, shifting himself from the concerned husband to the working FBI agent frame of mind.

"I think he's blaming himself probably and close to a nervous breakdown," Reid supplied quietly.

"How do we clean this up?" Morgan asked quietly watching Hotch for instructions.

"We make sure that there are no copy-cats out there and we give the media a united front. That and they probably want us to bring Gideon back to Quantico. Give me a moment to change," Hotch said as he placed his finished coffee mug in the sink before taking Reid and Morgan's mugs and doing the same.

He walked to the foray and upstairs leaving Morgan and Reid all alone in the kitchen again. Morgan looked back to the living room to see a pile of clothes on a near by chair that looked like a dinner jacket and a dress. He couldn't imagine how Hotch's wife felt at the moment. She had to be one of the most understanding women in the world to comprehend the job and what it was that Hotch did for a living. Reid sat down on a stool again and waited patiently. Vanilla walked over and rested his head on Reid's knee and cried to be petted.

Hotch returned a few minutes later fixing his dark blue tie. He was fully dressed in a black suit with a light blue shirt that matched well with the blue tie. He looked every inch the professional he was in the office and held the air of a man who knew what he was doing.

"What time does the jet leave?" he asked as he pocketed his badge and holstered his gun.

"Director said eleven-thirty. So about an hour and fifteen minutes," Morgan said as he watched who he assumed to be Hotch's wife enter the kitchen carrying a go-bag. She was petite with a slender waist that Morgan guessed was a size three or four with long light brown hair that looked like milk chocolate and big blue eyes. Her skin was a lightly tanned from the sun and she wore a pair of jeans, a mint green shirt with a cream Northface fleece coat along with a pair of small ballet flats.

"Good morning! Here's your go-bag," she said pleasantly giving the go-bag to Hotch, "Everything in it is freshly cleaned and new."

"Thank you," Hotch said kissing her cheek, "Agent Derek Morgan and Doctor Spencer Reid, my wife Claire Hotchner. Claire this is Morgan and Reid."

Claire extended a hand to shake with each man. She wasn't at all what Morgan expected. She seemed too happy and friendly to match Hotch's serious nature and personality. She had a way it seemed of making everyone in the room relax which was polar opposite to Hotch's imposing figure and air of authority. But then again, this whole morning he had learned more about Aaron Hotchner then he had in the two months he had been working with the man.

"Pleasure to meet you both. Aaron's told me all about you," she said with a large smile.

"I hope he's said all good things about Doctor Reid and myself," Morgan replied as he smiled back at her, feeling at ease for the first time since stepping into the house.

"He's always been nice," Claire laughed, "I'll walk you to the door so you can leave early. The news anchor was saying how it's supposed to be rainy all day and the roads are slick. You may need the extra time."

The four made their way to the front door.

"It was nice meeting you Mrs. Hotchner," Morgan said extending his hand to shake hers again.

"Please call me Claire. Mrs. Hotchner is my mother-in-law. It was nice to meet you too. I hope that in the future we meet under more happy circumstances," Claire replied shaking his hand, "Doctor Reid it was nice to meet you also. Have a safe trip."

She shook Reid's hand and the two men left the Hotchners standing in their foray as they departed for the SUV.

"I'm sorry about this. I know I said I would be around for the day and I didn't realize that they were coming. I'm sorry that I've broken the promise that I made you about—" Hotch started but was interrupted by Claire.

"Please...just promise me you'll be safe. That's all I need right now. Am I'm upset that you have to go? Yes, but Gideon needs you more then I do. Besides, everything is going to be fine as long as you come home soon because I was by no means finished with you when Agent Morgan and Doctor Reid showed up," Claire said standing on her the tips of her toes to hug his six foot two frame while placing kisses on his neck.

Hotch wrapped his arms around her waist and chuckling.

"I promise to be safe if you promise to put those plans on hold for when I get home. I love you and I'll call you when I have an idea of when I'll be home," he mumbled before kissing her hard.

"Promise. I love you too. Be safe, please," Claire said breathlessly after he pulled away first.

She stood behind the screen door hugging herself as she watched both Morgan's car and her husband's back out of the driveway. She gave a smile and waved to Reid as he waved good-bye to her. Claire watched them turn the corner and closed the door. Vanilla came and licked her hand.

"How about a nice walk before we go back to sleep? I so don't know about you but I'm ready for a nap," she yawned as she stood petting his head and ears.

Vanilla barked happily and waged his tail.

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><p><strong>So...thoughts? I mean who would have saw that twist coming? FYI, I added the links on profile for the earrings and comb from Chapters 12 and 13...<strong>

**Review...I know you have a five seconds to spare...I promise to update quickly if you do...and I won't threaten to with hold a chapter...again:)**

**Join the elite Gold Star Club today!****  
><strong>EDITED 12/4/2013


	15. Fifteen: Try

EDITED 12/04/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! Thanks so much to everyone who left a review and joined the club: Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Duchess of Lantern Waste, i'moneinamillion, camiguin, wolves-rain-chick, Elfsquire90, p95000, You cant rush science. and mia3! You guys rock! I felt bad that this Chapter was short compared to my other ones so I'll be updating quick! ****Anyway, onward to Reid's vast knowledge of Claire Hotchner nee Rossi...**

**All error are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em> While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about.~Angela Schwindt<em>

**Chapter Fifteen: Try**

_"...Sometimes I think that it's better_  
><em>To never ask why<em>

_Where there is desire_  
><em>There is gonna be a flame<em>  
><em>Where there is a flame<em>  
><em>Someone's bound to get burned<em>  
><em>But just because it burns<em>  
><em>Doesn't mean you're gonna die<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>

_Funny how the heart can be deceiving_  
><em>More than just a couple times<em>  
><em>Why do we fall in love so easy<em>  
><em>Even when it's not right<em>

_Where there is desire_  
><em>There is gonna be a flame<em>  
><em>Where there is a flame<em>  
><em>Someone's bound to get burned<em>  
><em>But just because it burns<em>  
><em>Doesn't mean you're gonna die<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>  
><em>You've gotta get up and try, try, try<em>

_Ever worried that it might be ruined_  
><em>Does it make you wanna cry?<em>  
><em>When you're out there doing what you're doing<em>  
><em>Are you just getting by..."<em>

**~ "Try" - Pink**

Hotch sat across from Gideon on the jet ride home from Boston. He had been looking over files from the case for the majority of the ride home. The buzzing of his phone alerted him to a new message. He ignored it and continued working.

"You're not going to answer that?" Gideon asked quietly still looking out the small window.

"I'm working and it's not an emergency," Hotch said not looking up from the file.

"How do you know it's not an emergency? It could be a hospital calling you because Claire is sick or something is wrong with a family member. Hotch life is so short—" Gideon said worried and Hotch could tell the man was working himself up.

He closed the file he was working on and took out the phone and showed Gideon the screen.

**_1 New Video and Message_**

**_Hey I thought this might just cheer up your day! Tomas scored the winning goal two days ago and I thought you might like the clip for the ride home. - C _**

**_XOXO _**

"If Claire was really in trouble she wouldn't be sending me a video of her god-son scoring a soccer goal," Hotch said as he opened and video file to watch it.

_Boys were running down the field and Tomas was dribbling the soccer ball up the field. _

"_Give it to Howard!" A woman yelled in the back round._

_Laura yelled at her son in Italian and Claire laughed at whatever she had said._

"_Shoot it Tomas!" Claire yelled, Rossi yelling in Italian too in the background. _

_Tomas dodged a defensive play and kicked the ball to the goal blindly. The ball went in and the crowed cheered. The camera went black for a moment while Claire hugged Laura. _

"_Tell Aaron that if his kids don't play soccer I will personally kick his ass," Rossi said in the background, "You know what? I'll see him at the picnic next week anyway. I'll tell him then."_

_Claire's laughter was heard again and she said something in Italian back to him. _

"_Let's go see him. Bye Aaron!" Laura said waving at the phone. Claire turned to Rossi, who looked relaxed in a pair of jeans, t-shirt and fleece coat with sunglasses, waved at the phone too before the screen went black again at the end of the video. _

"Here," Hotch said, "This will make you feel better Jason."

Gideon took the phone and smiled as he watched the video, "What is the translation for the Italian?"

"My Italian is so bad I can barely understand Claire when she says anything. Laura and Rossi are talking so fast it sounds jumbled," Hotch said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Ask Reid."

"Ask me what?" Reid said walking down the aisle from the small kitchenette with a cup of tea.

"Can you translate this for me?" Gideon asked handing Reid the phone.

Reid restarted the video and held it up to his ear, "I think the woman is saying, 'Tomas don't listen to her. Howard can't kick the ball,'. The man in the back round is yelling, 'Tomas get your head in the game and shoot,'. Then later the woman filming the video said to the man, 'I think it's safe to say they will.' I'm think she's referencing to what the man said about children playing soccer though," Reid said giving Gideon back the phone.

"Rossi goes to soccer games now?" Gideon asked joking.

"Laura's ex-husband isn't what I would call father material," Hotch said quietly and opened his files again.

"I find it amazing that you've been known Rossi's daughter for close to four years now and you still can't understand some Italian," Gideon said changing the subject.

"Rossi? As in Davis Rossi co-creator of the BAU? That Rossi?" Reid asked curiously looking from Gideon to Hotch.

"Rossi is Hotch's father-in-law," Gideon supplied with a smile.

"When did my personal life become so important?" Hotch snapped at the two of them. He was agitated they were talking about him in front of him.

"Who's father-in-law is David Rossi?" Morgan asked joining the group.

Hotch groaned and let his head fall back and hit the head rest of the seat.

"Apparently Hotch's wife is the only child of David Rossi. Clarissa Elizabeth Rossi born Febuary 2, 19—"

"Reid don't make my wife into facts you can spout out about," Hotch said, "It's scares me enough that you know her birthday. I don't want to know what else you know about her."

"Actually Mr. Rossi's first book is dedicated to her and reads: 'To my daughter Claire, thank you for your constant love and support. I may not have been around when you were little but thank you letting be there for you now that you are an adult. Love Dad.' It was a nice dedication," Reid said as Morgan gave Reid a confused look and Hotch went back to reading a file ignoring him.

"Children have a way of making us stop and look at the good things in the world. I would say that after nearly thirty years of profiling going to a soccer game is probably a relief," Morgan said laying on the couch opposite the three men sitting at the table.

"Good for Tomas for scoring the winning goal," Gideon said handing Hotch his phone back.

"Who's Tomas?" Reid asked curiously again.

"My wife's god-son. She more like his aunt then anything else," Hotch said slipping the phone back into his pocket and focusing on his work.

The jet returned to its normal silence with Reid reading his book, Morgan listening to music, Gideon looking out the window and Hotch finishing his work for the case.

The jet landed at the Quantico Air strip an hour later and Reid and Morgan got off the jet as soon as it landed. Hotch began to pack up his things and when he was finished Hotch sat down again across from Gideon.

"They're going to come and eventually kick us off the jet Jason," Hotch said quietly.

"You should be at home with Claire. She'll probably worry if your home late," Gideon replied without looking at him.

"Claire has learned over the years to add an hour to whatever time I give her before she starts calling worried. I texted her before we landed telling her I'd be late. She's probably asleep by now. It's close to elven o'clock," Hotch told Gideon as he looked at his watch.

"Is it my fault that all those people are dead?" Gideon asked quietly after a few minutes of silents.

"No, you did everything in your power. You followed procedures as you were supposed to. Those peoples death are on Adrian Bales and him alone," Hotch insisted, "It's not your fault Jason."

Gideon nodded and stood.

"I keep telling myself that but it has yet to make me feel any better," Gideon admitted as he picked up his bag.

Hotch stood, "Then keep tell yourself that till you believe it."

"Go home Hotch, you wife needs you more then I do."

* * *

><p><strong>Right...short I know...but I promise to blow your mind next chapter...Reviews people make the world go around...<strong>

EDITED 12/04/2013


	16. Sixteen: Arms

EDITED 12/04/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hi Guys! Thanks to everyone that reviewed! **

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. ~Rita Rudner<em>

**Chapter Sixteen: Arms**

_"...You put your arms around me  
>And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go<br>You put your arms around me and I'm home_

_How many times will you let me change my mind and turn around  
>I can't decide if I'll let you save my life or if I'll drown<em>

_I hope that you see right through my walls  
>I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling<br>I'll never let a love get so close  
>You put your arms around me and I'm home<em>

_The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved  
>I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone<em>

_You put your arms around me  
>And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go<em>

_I hope that you see right through my walls  
>I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling<br>I'll never let a love get so close  
>You put your arms around me and I'm home..."<em>

**~ "Arms" - Christina Perry**

_Late May...Three months after Boston..._

It was the second week that she had missed her period that she had began to freak out. But now she wasn't freaking out she was in a silent panic. It was over two months late and she was barely focusing on anything other then trying to talk to Sofia. Her breasts were changing, her clothes fitting a little bit tighter and she had had heartburn like a bitch since lunch. Claire grabbed Sofia's arm as the other woman was trying to sign paper work in the ER and dragged her friend to a supply closet and locked it.

"Are you okay?" Sofia asked.

Claire leaned against the door and shook her head, "I think somethings wrong. What are the odds of becoming pregnant on birth control and using condoms?"

Sofia stared at Claire for a few seconds before pulling Claire into a hug and laughing.

"Is this what you have been worried about all day because Doctor Stevens has been offering to give you Ritalin to help you focus and chill. Claire, please, your husband screams and oozes male sexuality but I don't think he's that good. What brought this on?" Sofia joked.

"A few weeks of nausea and being sick in the morning till about three o'clock in the afternoon. Dizziness, exhaustion, moodiness, heart burn. Yesterday my dad ordered fish for dinner and I nearly lost my dinner. I thought this was some late spring bug but this isn't Sofia. I was supposed to have my period back in the last week of March or the beginning of April and it's late May now!"

Sofia let go of her with wide eyes and a large smile, "I take back what I said about your husband. He may just fall into that less then one percent of men who can get you pregnant with two forms of birth control. I would like to see what he could do with no birth control."

Claire groaned, "You're not helping. This is something that Aaron and I haven't even talked about. I can't believe I missed this! I thought that maybe it was all because of stress or something like that. Instead this morning it dawned on me 'Hey smart one did you ever consider the possibility of being pregnant?' and here I am talking with you."

"Sweetie when something like this happens it just happens. My mother always said that mother nature can't be stopped. Obviously it's true. Have you even taken a test yet? Do you even have an idea of how far along you are?"

"No, I haven't even told Aaron that I think I might be. It's more somewhere between two to three months I guess. I don't know! I work in the ER not the maternity ward! Christ Sofia! What do I do?"

" First don't tell him till you're sure. The man has more on his plate at the moment then he needs. Second, you'll be fine. Your not showing at this point and you have plenty of time to tell him. Stop worrying, we get you to take a test then you get go to the doctor whether it's positive or negative. Relax Claire."

Claire silently agreed with Sofia. Ever since Gideon had been put on medical leave Hotch had had to step up and be the Unit Chief and leader of the team. He did a great job at it but the hours and work were longer and they had been spending more and more time apart. They team had just added three more positions on the unit to try and cope with the overwhelming amount of work they had now without Gideon there to help them.

"Is Aaron home right now?" Sofia asked.

"No, he's away tonight. I just talked to him at lunch. He's not sure when they'll be back."

Sofia looked at her watch, mumbled to herself in Italian and grabbed Claire's shoulder giving a squeeze, "Okay it's five o'clock now. We get off at six so why don't we call Laura and have her pick up three EPTs and we'll get chinese take out and meet at your house for seven. We'll have a girls' only sleep over and Laura and I will play the part of supportive Aaron for the night since he's off chasing some sicko."

Claire nodded feeling a little bit better and able to focus at what was happening.

"Okay."

"I'll go call Laura and tell her what's happening. You go finish your shift and try not to think about anything but patients. I so don't want you getting sued because you were distracted."

Claire nodded and unlocked the door. Both woman left to finish the rest of the shift in somewhat of an excited mood. Sofia already planning on buying baby clothes and anything she could think of for the baby and Claire with a tiny bit less worry on her mind. Six o'clock came and both women were replaced by their replacements on time, grateful to be finished. Laura had called to say that she had dropped Tomas at Rossi's house for the night to spend time with Maria who had become a sort of adoptive grandmother to Tomas that he didn't have and was getting the tests. Sofia and Claire took separate cars to get the take out food and pulled into Claire's driveway as Laura got out of her car and opened her trunk pulling out a bag and two gallon jugs of Sunny D.

"Hey girls! Sofia grab a jug, I brought over Sex and the City to watch. I figured we needed some other drama then Claire's baby drama to worry about," Laura said with a grin.

"Two gallons! God! Laura I said one not two."

"There's a third in the back if we need it." Laura supplied with an even bigger grin, "I figured since Claire will be drinking her weight in fluids she might as well have something she likes. I brought those really long straws that you can get at the ball park when you buy those funky beer cups. You know the one's that are like a foot high."

Sofia rolled her eyes and grabbed the second jug from the trunk and the third jug in the back seat.

"Claire has the take out. I have the jugs. How many tests did you get?"

"Five. All a different kind. I figured that she could take three tonight and two tomorrow morning."

Sofia gave Laura a look and opened her mouth to say something but was stopped by Claire.

"Let's go. It looks like it's going to rain soon and I don't feel like listening to you two bicker in a down pour."

The three woman moved to Claire's front porch and got in the door just as thunder rolled in and the heavens opened up. Vanilla came and greeted each woman with a lick on the hand and sat down to watch them set the take out, Sunny D, and the bag of DVD's and tests on the island in the kitchen.

"I'll go set up the movie. Sofia you bring the Sunny D and straws that are in the bag with you and Claire you get the food ready. Break!" Laura said clapping her hands together like a quarterback.

Claire and Sofia rolled their eyes but did as they were told. Ten minutes later they were all sitting on the dark brown leather couch eating Chinese and watching Sex and the city while sipping Sunny D from the jug.

"God this feels like college all over again." Sofia said causing both Laura and Claire to laugh. It was true, Laura and Claire had befriended Sofia who had been an exchange student from Italy at the time and was applying for her green card. The trio had quickly become inseparable and had rented an apartment for the last year of their college life together. Sofia and Claire going into nursing and Laura becoming a divorce attorney. It had been Sofia that had tipped Claire off to the opening at the hospital they now worked together at when she was looking for work closer to Aaron. It was indeed like being back at college although this time they were all so much more closer.

They quickly shifted from watching the season of Sex and the City to talking about Tomas and Laura's work, Sofia's new man and their plans to move in together and Aaron's increasing work load. It was close to nine when they had finally finished eating. They had gotten so caught up in talking and sharing that they completely forgot about the Sunny D. It took another hour to finish drinking all of it and Claire was running not twenty minutes later to the master bathroom with the bag of tests and Vanilla hot on her heels.

* * *

><p>It was probably the longest five minutes of her life. Claire had the test lined up on the marble counter top of the double sink vanity and sat on the edge of the large claw foot tub with Vanilla laying at her feet. She felt like her heart was in her throat and she was the most nervous in her life or that she could remember being.<p>

This was turning out to be torture. She knew that this wasn't exactly planned for the moment. Neither of them had really planned to be parents any time soon. It hadn't really been in the cards. Aaron was trying to adjust to a new job and Claire was just trying to cope with day to day life with out him there. How was she supposed to add a baby to that equation. God, now that she was wishing he was there with her just for reassurance that everything would be okay. Hell, she was tempted to call him and just hear his voice, that would be comforting enough.

Pushing aside her worry she began to actually think about the baby. Would it be a boy or a girl? She wonder if it would be a little boy with his father's black hair and dimples. Maybe it would be a little girl with a big smile and his chocolate colored eyes. The odds of the baby having his dimples was pretty high. Dimples were a dominant trait and she hoped to God the baby had them. Aaron might not smile often but when he did it was a wonderful to see. There was a lightness about him that made her want to smile whenever he did.

She looked down at her white watch and sighed.

"Vanilla here it goes. All or nothing."

The dog barked and she stood to take two steps that it took to reach the double sink vanity. Taking a deep breath she took the steps and looked down at the tests. Seeing the results she burst into tears.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm ducking from the items being thrown now...Leave a review and a guess...and maybe I'll update today again with the second part! <strong>

EDITED 12/04/2013


	17. Seventeen: Glitter In the Air

EDITED 12/04/2013

**Author's Note:**

**Hello Everyone! Special thanks to the Gold Star Club which includes: wolves-rain-chick, p95000, Crystal-wolf-Guardian-967, i'moneinamillion, camiguin, shippolove884 and hxchick. You Guys Rock! ****I promise that the you'll be seeing part of episodes from the series soon...and the action with out stalker will really heat up...  
><strong>**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"Life only demands from you the strength you possess. Only one feat is possible - not to have run away." Dag Hammarskjold<em>

**Chapter Seventeen: Glitter In The Air**

_"...Close your eyes and trust it, just trust it_  
><em>Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?<em>  
><em>Have you ever looked fear in the face and said I just don't care?<em>

_It's only half past the point of no return_  
><em>The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn<em>  
><em>The thunder before lightning, the breath before the phrase<em>  
><em>Have you ever felt this way?<em>

_Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?_  
><em>Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone<em>  
><em>Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?<em>  
><em>Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?<em>

_It's only half past the point of oblivion_  
><em>The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run<em>  
><em>The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames<em>  
><em>Have you ever felt this way..."<em>

**~ "Glitter In The Air" - Pink**

_June 1..._**  
><strong>It was a week later when Hotch opened the front door of the house and was greeted by Vanilla sitting on the bottom step of the stair wagging his tail.

"Hey boy," Hotch said setting his bag and briefcase down on the floor. Moving to sit on the step with the dog, Hotch ran his large hand over the dog's head and rubbed his neck. It was peaceful just to sit on his steps and pet his dog. He wasn't chasing a killer or dispelling rumors about Gideon or doing what was needed of him at the moment. Vanilla rested his head on Hotch's knee and gave a moan of contentment.

"You act like Claire doesn't give you any attention. I know for a fact that she spoils you rotten when I'm not here."

"Vanilla! You're not supposed to leak that information. The fact I let you sleep on the bed is supposed to be our secret," Claire said walking down the steps and sat down on the step next to Hotch. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed is head.

"I thought that was you I heard sweet talking my boyfriend," she smiled at him.

"Boyfriend? Is there something I should know about?" Hotch asked smiling back at her jokingly.

"The only man I love is you. Vanilla's just the energy efficient heater I use when you're away."

Hotch shook his head and kissed her. They sat in a peaceful silence for a minutes before Claire lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him curiously.

"It's three o'clock in the afternoon and you're home. What happened?" Claire asked, "Are you in trouble at work?"

Hotch chuckled, "I'm home early and all of a sudden I did something wrong?"

"I didn't mean it that way Aaron it's just that early for you is usually close to seven o'clock at night."

Hotch gave her a sad smile and wrapped his arms around her.

"We had a hard, exhausting case and I sent Morgan and Reid home to sleep in their beds instead of at their desks," he told her softly.

"Why don't you go upstairs and take a nap then? I have to go grocery shopping and pick up the dry cleaning. The house will be nice and quiet." Claire said with a soft smile.

"Now that sounds so tempting I couldn't resist."

Claire kissed his cheek, "You go up. I'll put your stuff in the wash."

Hotch nodded and stood. Claire watched him climb the stairs a part of her wishing that she could go with him and snuggle with him and tell him that she was pregnant. She watched him reach the top step and turn right holding the railing and loosening his tie as he disappeared. She felt a tug low in her stomach. God, her hormones were kicking into over drive and all she wanted to do was to pounce on him like a tiger did on her prey, not go to shopping.

Standing to grab the go-bag she went to the laundry room to put the clothes in the washer. She set the bag on the small table that was used for folding clothes and returned to the foray. Grabbing the brief case, Claire climbed the staircase and followed the path that Aaron had taken earlier. She walked into their bedroom and heard the shower running. Waking across the cream carpet and setting the brief case on the floor next to the night stand, she sat down on the king size bed resting her elbow on the foot board and looked at the room.

The tan walls were warm and the dark cherry wood nightstands contrasted against it perfectly. A large dresser across from the bed had their possession on it. A picture of them dancing at their wedding, her head resting on his shoulder. A bottle of perfume and a small jewelry box. A small figurine of an angel praying. A picture of her and Hotch at a family picnic laughing and a vase full of fresh cut Chrysanthemums in blues and whites. A door that led to the bathroom was to the left of the dresser and a door to the right led to a walk in closet. A picture of the landscape of Iceland was on the wall between the doors. Other various pieces of furniture included an entertainment center in the corner and a fully stuffed chair on the wall opposite the entertainment center.

Claire stood and stepped into the walk in closet. She changed in to a pair of shorts, a loose white t-shirt with black sandals. Walking back into the bedroom she pulled the dark brown curtains of the large bay windows that looked out into front lawn and circle closed before grabbing her purse and keys from the nightstand. She smiled as she heard the water shut off and knew that if she didn't leave now, she wouldn't make it to the store at all.

* * *

><p>When Hotch opened his eyes again it was dark. The room was quiet and Vanilla's warm body wasn't by his feet like he had been when Hotch had laid down earlier. Sitting up he looked at the alarm clock on the night stand.<p>

7:54

Hotch nearly groaned. An hour nap had turned into a five hour lay-in. Turning the light on, Hotch sat up in bed. Standing, he walked out into the hall and saw Vanilla laying at the bottom of the steps asleep. Claire's voice could be heard talking from somewhere down stairs. Descending the stairs and stepping over the dog, Hotch saw the lights were off in the living room and dinning room. A light was on in the kitchen though and it drew his attention. Claire was talking on the phone while doing the dishes.

"No I haven't told anyone Laura...I have to go and make sure my husband's laundry is done and his bag is ready...Yes, I know but I like to do it. It's nice knowing that while he's away I can at least take care of him in someway...I'll talk to you later...Go take care of my god-son and stop bugging me. Bye."

Claire hung up the phone and returned it to the charger. She returned to the sink full of dishes and picked up the sponge again. The kitchen was silent and Hotch walked up behind Claire wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss behind her ear. He continued placing kisses on her neck and hair line till finally Claire dropped the sponge and turned around to kiss him on the lips. The kiss was full of pent up passion. Hotch's hands roamed her body pulling her close for her soft body to mold against his. It had been a while since he had last been intimate with her and it was as if his body knew it and realized that it had missed time to make up for. He groaned at her hands running down his back touching each muscle and her nails running down his spine.

Claire felt a rush of heat fill her blood as Aaron's hands slid beneath her shirt and touched the hot skin of her lower back. The feeling of his skin against hers was something that she had been craving all day and needed to feel. God she wanted him and she knew by his kisses he wanted her badly also.

* * *

><p>He put his fist in his mouth and nearly drew blood as he watched the Hotchner's in their bedroom. He was pissed, oh so pissed. How stupid could his Claire be to get pregnant by that idiot Aaron Hotchner. His blood seethed as he tried to resist the urge to walk in and kill Claire Hotchner right then and there. He couldn't decide if he loved her or wanted her dead, the two feeling were slowly messing together and he knew that he loved her so much the only way for her to be free of Hotchner was to kill her. An idea popped into his head. They could play a game, him and Hotchner. It would take months, possibly years of planning and practice to achieve but he knew the perfect way to strike that Agent right where it hurt and both Claire and her baby would be perfect for it.<p>

Maybe Baby Hotchner would have some use and value after all.

He quickly grabbed a pen and began writing out his plans on how to seek his final revenge against Aaron Hotchner.

* * *

><p>Claire awoke the next morning to a warm body next to hers. She smiled as heard Aaron's deep breathing behind her and felt his chin rest on top of her head. It was enjoyable and refreshing that not one phone call had interrupted their sleep last night. She felt his legs move under the sheets and him pulling her body closer.<p>

The shrill sound of a cell phone ringing broke the morning air. Claire couldn't help like she had jinxed everything as Aaron sat up in bed and grabbed his cell phone charging on the nightstand. She looked over her shoulder as his mask of seriousness slipped on with ease

"Hotchner," he said as if he had been awake for hours not seconds.

Claire turned away from him and laid on her side with her back to him. He had pushed her away from him and sat on the side of the bed, that action in itself had hurt a little. She had the sudden urge to scream at him and cry at the same time. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and wiped it away.

"I understand, sir. I will tell the team," Hotch said.

It was Sunday and she hoped that he didn't have to go in. Was it so hard to ask for just one day with him and not being interrupted by a phone call? A sudden wave of morning sickness hit and she closed her eyes hoping to God that it went away. She had set up a doctor's visit for Wednesday and was curious to see just how far along she was. She had noticed changes in her body the night before and was seemingly grateful that Aaron hadn't caught them. Sofia had commented Friday at work that her breasts were bigger and it had made her feel like she was thirteen again with developing breast around teenage boys.

Aaron either hadn't noticed or decided not to say anything. Claire was honestly beginning to think that he was just so busy and clueless that he hadn't noticed any changes or anything different about her body. She was grateful that she wasn't showing yet either. So far, everything in her pregnancy had been easy to hide at that point. Her uniform for work was baggy enough that she didn't need to change to actual maternity closes yet and was good with wearing stretch clothes.

She heard him say goodbye to whoever he had been talking to and set the phone on the nightstand again. Another tear slowly made its way down her cheek. She felt the bed move and an arm wrap around her waist pulling her towards his chest. She registered that he was laying in bed but couldn't figure why he was if he had just been called to go to work. Her hair was pushed to the side and kisses began at the back of her neck. She could feel lips move down her neck to her spine as she was pushed to lay on her stomach with him over her pressing kissing to her back.

"Don't you have to go to work Aaron?" she asked without any emotion as she tried to block everything out of her mind that was happening.

He stopped his ministrations and kissed the back of her head before laying down beside her. She turned her face away from him unable to look at him when he said the word that she dreaded most.

"No. The section chief called to say that they found a technical analyst for the team and to congratulate us on or work for the last case," he said quietly.

Claire rolled from her stomach to back to side and looked at him as if he were lying, "You're joking right? Who calls on a Sunday morning to tell anyone about a hire?"

Hotch chuckled and pulled her back to him, her head resting on his heart.

"Apparently the Section Chief does."

Claire snuggled back to his side and could feel herself falling back asleep.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Hotch said quietly. He knew that she had thought about him leaving. That she had been on the verge of tears had hurt him. Hotch had watched her use the back of her hand to wipe away a tears. He was causing her pain and to him that was a sin that went right up there with murder. Pulling her even closer to him, he dropped a kiss on her head before closing his own eyes hoping that soon the chaos would die down at the office with the new agents and everything would calm down enough that he and Claire could spend more time together.

* * *

><p><strong>So...Aaron made a good save...right? <strong>

**But that stalker is giving me the creeps just writing about it...you? **

**Reviews will get you places...see what Aaron's big blunder is next chapter...**

EDITED 12/04/2013


	18. Eighteen: The Last Time

EDITED 12/04/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hi Guys! Thanks so much to those who took the time to review: i'moneinamillion, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, p95000, shippolove884 and caminguin! Ya'll Rock! **

**Anyway...FYI: If I screw up any of the baby stuff, sorry in advance. I've done as much research and talked to doctors and friends...so I'm tried to get as many different sources as possible. My one friend Andrew, who is studying to be a doctor, actually thought I was pregnant when I called to ask him questions. lol.**

**Moving on, I make no promises on our stalker behavior...I've kind of enjoyed creating this nut case...and a stressed out and frazzled Aaron Hotchner has been fun to write too.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow. ~Swedish Proverb<em>

**Chapter Eighteen: The Last Time**

_"...Right before your eyes,_  
><em>I'm breaking<em>  
><em>No past, no reasons why<em>  
><em>Just you and me<em>

_This is the last time I'm asking you this_  
><em>Put my name at the top of your list<em>  
><em>This is the last time I'm asking you why<em>  
><em>You break my heart in the blink of an eye, eye, eye<em>

_You find yourself at my door_  
><em>Just like all those times before<em>  
><em>You wear your best apology<em>  
><em>But I was there to watch you leave<em>

_And all the times I let you in_  
><em>Just for you to go again<em>  
><em>Disappear when you come back<em>  
><em>Everything is better<em>

_Right before your eyes,_  
><em>I'm aching<em>  
><em>Run fast, nowhere to hide,<em>  
><em>Just you and me.<em>

_This is the last time I'm asking you this,_  
><em>Put my name at the top of your list.<em>  
><em>This is the last time I'm asking you why<em>  
><em>You break my heart in the blink of an eye, eye, eye..."<em>

**~ "The Last Time" - Taylor Swift ft. Gary Lightbody**

_Three days later...June 3..._

"It's been a while. How's Aaron?" Claire's OB/GYN Regina Jenkins asked.

Claire chuckled as she stared at the woman, "He's busy being Aaron. What can I say?"

"I can imagine. Now what brings you to see me?" Gina asked with a smile as she thought about Aaron Hotchner. Hotchner had showed up once to pick Claire up after a procedure that had left her with a bad reaction to the medicine and had become the most talked about men ever to set foot in her office. The nurses thought that he was a hunk and most of them faked being jealous of Claire whenever she came. It had been the office's running joke for the past two years.

"Gina I took three pregnancy tests and they were all positive. I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant. Help," Claire said with a sheepish smile.

Gina laughed happily, "I can do that. Let me send the nurse in after I leave to get some blood. I also want to run a battery of tests on you and do an examination. We'll be here awhile my dear."

Claire nodded and joked, "Thank God I got the day off then. I'll make myself comfy."

They talked about her symptoms and what she had been feeling so far before Gina left. The nurse came in a few minutes later and took blood. It was an hour later that Doctor Jenkins returned with the test results and a smile.

"Well everything in your panels looks normal and good. At 5' 6" you weigh a hundred and twenty-five pounds which is good, your blood pressure is low which might cause the dizziness that you have been experiencing. I will congratulate you that you are indeed pregnant. Do you know when you last period was?" Jenkins asked.

"It was in January. The birth control I was taking made it so that I was having a period every three months. I was supposed to have a period in the end of March beginning of April but it never came. I thought at first it was just stress but I was wrong."

"Easy enough mistake. I'm going to do an ultrasound to try and get an idea of how far along you are. I'm also going to do a pap smear and a cervical exam. Fair?"

Clarie nodded.

* * *

><p>The ultra sound tech came into the room with her equipment. Claire was excited to finally figure out how far along she was. The other tests according to Jenkins were all coming back normal and good. Claire kept her fingers crossed that everything on the scan would be okay.<p>

"Can you lift your shirt ma'am?" the tech asked.

Claire nodded and pulled the empire cut t-shirt up past her navel. She tucked an arm behind her head and rested her other hand over her heart.

"This will be a little cold. Sorry."

Claire flinched as the cold jelly hit her lower stomach. The tech turned on the monitor and set the probe on her stomach. She moved the probe for a few moments when Jenkins came back in.

"Don't stop because of me Carrie. Claire is one of the first patients I've ever had and I've been seeing the longest. I thought I step in if that's alright Claire."

"Please. It's nice to have someone familiar here," she smiled.

The tech smiled and looked back at the screen, "Ah! There's the baby."

"Well looks like we've got baby Hotchner," Jenkins said excitedly, "Carrie can you give a rough estimate for how far long she is?"

"Judging by the fetal development, twelve weeks exactly. It's June third so that it would the conception around the second week of March."

"The Charity Dinner," Claire murmured tearing up a little. It was the only time that they'd had the opportunity to conceive.

Jenkins rubbed Claire knee and smiled, "Happy memory?"

Claire nodded but kept her eyes glued to the screen.

"There you can see the baby's fingers," The tech said and moved to point out other various things about the baby before taking measurements and declaring the child healthy and developing well. She also took a picture for Claire.

"You can probably find out if the baby is a boy or a girl at you next visit Claire. I think that at sixteen weeks we'll be able to see if this Hotchner isn't as stubborn as his or her father. But keep in mind every baby is different and some are more ladylike and modest," Gina said with glee.

Claire laughed, "The moment this gets out I may have to go into hiding. Everyone will want a piece of us. Do you know when the due date is Carrie?"

Carrie smiled and made a face. She took a few minutes before turning and smiling, "How does a Christmas baby sound? December 20 is the due date."

"That will be a very happy Christmas present for everyone," Claire smiled. Jenkins gave Claire a napkin to clean her abdomen and helped her to sit up. Claire smiled at the ultrasound picture that Carrie gave her and hardly remembered the rest of the visit.

* * *

><p>It was her day off but that didn't stop Claire from going to the ER to see Sofia. She walked to the main nurses station where an aggravated Sofia was on the phone with someone.<p>

"Mrs. Downton just because he has a cough doesn't mean your son has whooping cough...The symptoms that you just described aren't those of whooping cough...No, you don't need to bring him to the ER..." she said her Italian accent become thick again revealing her frustration.

Claire smiled and stopped at the desk. She felt different dressed in her yellow empire waist t-shirt and tan shorts with white ballet flats while everyone was dressed in scrubs and tennis shoes.

"I have to go ma'am there's a suicide risk that just came in that I need to check on. Have a good day Mrs. Downton," Sofia said quickly and hung up.

"I'm a suicide risk?" Claire asked.

"No, I am. Why are you smiling like you just had a boat load of steamy hot sex?"

"I'm not smiling about the sex part, though that was probably the best part. I'm smiling about the end results. I've just come from the doctor's office," Claire said holding up the picture. Sofia laughed and ran around the station.

"I'm so happy. Tell me everything!" Sofia said giving Claire a bear hug.

"Everything is good. I'm twelve weeks along and due December 20. I'm going to go tell Aaron after I leave here. Do you have a pen I could borrow?"

Sofia nodded and let go of Clarie. She reached over the counter to the desk and grabbed a pen giving it to Claire.

Claire flipped the picture over and wrote a message on the back.

_Baby Hotchner's first picture. June 3. 12 weeks along._

"You should go and tell Aaron before you miss your window of opportunity," Sofia told her with glee.

"I'm going now. Bye Sofia," Claire said putting the pen on the counter and giving Sofia one more hug before she moved away and left the hospital for Quantico.

* * *

><p>Claire stepped off the elevator and walked into the BAU trying to wipe the smile off her face. It was close to twelve-thirty and she figured Aaron would be at lunch. She passed the desks and walked up the stairs to the cat walk. Aaron was walking around his office but his door was shut. Claire raised her knuckles and knocked on the door.<p>

"Come in," she heard Aaron's deep voice say. Claire frowned because he sounded frustrated. She opened the door and closed it behind her.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" he asked curious moving to her and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before returning to his desk.

She watched him set his go-bag and brief case down on the desk and open the brief case. He started putting files in the brief case, "I have something important to tell you Aaron. I was hoping that because it's lunch time you and I could talk. Are you going out on a case?"

"Yeah, I was going to call you on my way to the air strip. Can whatever it is you have to talk about wait? I offered to give our new liaison a ride and she is waiting for me," Hotch replied distractedly and looked out his office widow. Claire followed his line of sight and saw the media liaison leaning on a desk talking to Morgan who was getting his things ready too. She had never been the jealous type but she felt a surge of it flow through her veins. The woman was tall, blond and beautiful. Sean had always joked that Aaron had a weakness for blonds like Haley and for the first time she felt like questioning Aaron about her. She'd be giving Sean a call and interrogating him thoroughly about past blonds in Aaron's life too if it came to that. Claire felt all the excitement that she had been experiencing drain from her. She had been so excited to tell him about the baby.

"I'm only asking for five minutes Aaron."

Hotch let out a breath before continuing to pack up his brief case, "I really don't have that time Claire. I need to get going."

She felt tears pick the back of her eyes.

"You don't have five minutes for your wife Aaron?"

He shrugged his suit jacket on, "Not at the moment Claire. I'm sorry but I can't waste any time."

Claire blinked again trying to hide her tears, "I'm asking you for five minutes of your time Aaron to share with you news that's going to change our lives. I don't ask you for much but I'm asking this of you that's all."

Hotch looked up as her as he slid the his go-bag on his shoulder and grabbed the brief case.

"Look Claire, I have to go. I don't have time for whatever drama is going on in your life," Hotch snapped as he walked to the door. As he reached for the door handle she decided that she'd had enough.

"Aaron! I'm your wife damn it and I am just as important as your job if not more so. I'm asking you to just stop for the next five minutes and listen to what the hell I have to say because believe me this is going to effect the both of us for the rest of our lives."

"Claire, I understand that but I need to go. I have a job that I need to do that. Go talk to your Dad or one of your girl-friends about whatever is the matter. They'll help you. I can't at the moment and I need to go," he snapped again clearly irritated with her now. His control was slipping and he didn't want to have a fight with her in the middle of his office. He had a plane to catch. The phone rang. He quickly went to his desk and grabbed the receiver to answer it.

"Hotchner."

Claire sat down on the leather couch and put her face in her hands trying to desperately hold back the tears. He listened for a few minutes before slamming the receiver down and walked out of the office with his things, not saying a word. Claire stood quickly walked to the window and watched him talk to the liaison before they made their way to the elevator with Morgan and Reid. She grabbed the ultrasound picture out of her pocket and looked at it as she sat down in his desk chair. Folding her arms, she buried her face in her elbow and let herself cry. She hadn't felt this helpless in years, not since Rossi had failed to show up at the State Championship Game for her junior year in high school for soccer.

Never in her marriage had she ever regretted marrying Aaron but for the first time she wondered if this was really how she wanted to feel for the rest of her life. Neglected and like she was always second best. Would her baby feel that way too? Maria had never let her think that her father put her second. She was always reminding Claire of the good that he did and lives that he saved. Could she do that for her child? Could she be as strong as Maria had been? Or was it safer to get out now while there was minimal pain to her child and her? Maybe why her mother's death never hurt as bad as it should have was because she never had the chance to miss anything like other children did. What was the saying? You can't miss what you never had? The instant the thought crossed her mind of denying the child and Aaron access to each other, she wiped the idea off the table. What was she thinking? Aaron loved her more then anything in the world and with his love a child had been created. A piece of them both. Claire knew she could never be as cruel as some women were and deny him his own child. After all the baby inside her was just as much his as hers. She'd gladly suffer loneliness and heartache if it meant giving her child a happy life with both his or her parents under the same roof. A hand on her shoulder gave her a start and she sat up abruptly to come face to face with a woman who was colorfully dressed with glasses and bright blond hair.

"I'm so sorry!I didn't mean to scare you. I just saw that someone was up in Agent Hotchner's office and I didn't know you and you don't look like your from the FBI so I came to see if you're alright. You clearly aren't and I'm so sorry again," she rambled.

"What's your name?" Claire said, her voice cracking from crying so hard.

"Penelope Garcia. You?" she said with a bright smile holding out her hand.

Claire took it and gave her a watery smile back, "Claire Hotchner, it's nice to meet you."

Garcia's eyes went wide, "You're his wife? I heard about you from Reid and Morgan, I just never expected to meet you. Is everything alright?"

"I just came from a doctor's appointment to tell him something important and Aaron being Aaron just blew me off. Funny part is I came here all happy and excited to tell him that I'm pregnant and now I feel absolutely miserable," Claire said needing to share the news with someone before she combusted from all the emotions going on inside her.

Garcia lit up and walked around the desk and gave Claire a big hug.

"Oh, congratulations! We have to go celebrate! You and I are going to go get big slices of cake and big creme cappuccinos at Starbucks down the street. I refuse to let you be miserable on this joyous day! Boss man might be busy and has his head buried somewhere where it shouldn't be but that doesn't mean we have to be like that!"

Garcia grabbed Claire's hands and pulled the petite woman up to her feet.

"I couldn't ask that of you Miss Garcia. I'm sure you have a lot of work to do and it's not fair of me-"

"Nonsense. Call me Penelope by the way or just Garcia," Garcia said cutting Claire off, "The team is flying to California and won't be there for another six hours. We've got time to kill. Besides, your stomach growled earlier and we've got to get junior fed. Healthy mom means a healthy baby. Right?"

Claire laughed, "You sound just like Aaron's mother and my father's housekeeper."

Garcia smiled, "I'll be back, let me go grab my purse."

Garcia left and Claire sat back down in the chair and looked at Aaron's desk. It was neat and tidy. Papers were organized and pens were put away in perfect place. His name plate was straight and his lamp sat in the corner of the desk. She spun the chair around and looked at the desk unit behind the main desk. There was a computer and various files organized as well as a mug of pens. Not to mention all the compartments filled with various papers and such. Two pictures were next to the mouse pad caught her attention and she smiled. One was a picture of her and Vanilla sitting on the front porch the day after they had moved into their house and Vanilla was licking her. The picture was taken at the right moment where it caught her with her head tilled back as Vanilla licked her ear laughing. The second picture was of her in her wedding dress and vail from the waist up. It was a simple picture of her holding the roses from the big day. Those very roses from the picture sat on his nightstand at home dried up in a small glass jar from the 1920's. She took a pen from the mugs and scribbled a quick note on the back of the ultrasound picture and tucked inside the frame of the first picture with Vanilla.

"Ready?" Garcia asked as she came back into the office.

"Yes. Thank you Garcia. I feel much better already," Claire said slowly standing with a smile.

"Oh sweetie! I can tell this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Claire laughed.

* * *

><p>"You alright man?" Morgan asked Hotch from across the table in the jet.<p>

Hotch looked up from the file that he had been reading to the concerned faces of Morgan and Reid. Gideon looked up from the file he had been looking at and locked eyes on JJ, "How old is the latest victim?"

"Nine. All are girls with blond hair and blue eyes," she said quietly. It was her first case with the unit and she was nervous. Hotch nodded and gave Gideon a look as to say thank you for saving him from having to answer Morgan. Gideon had heard the argument and had called to say that they needed to leave and that Claire would tell him whatever she needed to say when he got back. At first, he was pissed that Gideon told him to push aside his wife so callously but Hotch knew deep down he was subconsciously doing the same thing Gideon was telling him to do. He was just pissed that Gideon was actually voicing it. He and Claire would be having a very long talk when he got back. He knew there was something weighing heavily on her mind and he hoped to God that she didn't let their spat from earlier effect whatever decision she was making that was 'life changing' as she had put it. His mother had told him back in February when he had missed part of Claire's birthday dinner because of work that he needed to pay more attention to Claire. Her words were, 'A woman like Claire will only put up with so much for love before she cracks.'

Claire was a beautiful woman and smart too. She could easily have men eating out of the palm of her hand. He'd seen the looks other men gave her and the thoughts about number of times men sent drinks over to her when they were out didn't help his peace of mind. He pushed away those thoughts as Reid accidentally stepped on his toes as he stood. Wincing and telling Reid to be more careful, he brought his mind back to the conversation at hand. However, he did file away the whole conversation with Claire in the hopes that they could talk about what had happened and what it was she wanted to talk about when he returned home.

* * *

><p>He smiled as he looked at her medical file. His Claire was twelve weeks along and healthy. Just as he suspected. The woman ate well and maintained a beautiful figure. It was beautiful to look at her lab work and know that she was perfectly capable of carrying the baby to full term. He was excited to watch them decorate the nursery and pick out a name for the baby. He was most of all excited to see her body change. He knew that his Claire was going to be beautiful as her body changed to accommodate the baby.<p>

He was so excited! His mind kicked into over drive about all the new ways he could spy on her and watch her body.

Smiling, he photo copied all her medical records from Doctor Jenkins' office and chuckled.

There was so much fun awaiting him in the coming months he could barely wait...

* * *

><p><strong>Take that extra five seconds and post a review...It will totally get you a chapter faster and closer to baby Hotchner's grand showing...I promise! I solemnly swear that I won't with hold chapters from you if you do review...<strong>

EDITED 12/04/2013


	19. Nineteen: I Will Wait

EDITED 12/05/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! Thanks so much to everyone in the Gold Star Club who reviewed: Starangel5593, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, p95000, i'moneinamillion, Jonah J, shippolove884 and you cant rush science! ****Thanks again, anyway...I'll just let you all read. It's a long one but I needed to keep it together. It gives a little bit of Aaron's side...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**R4L**

* * *

><p><em>"If men had to have babies, they would only ever have one each.<em>_" ~ Princess Diana_

**Chapter Nineteen: I Will Wait**

_"...And I fell heavy into your arms  
>These days of dust<br>Which we've known  
>Will blow away with this new sun<em>

_But I'll kneel down wait for now  
>And I'll kneel down<br>Know my ground_

_And I will wait I will wait for you  
>And I will wait I will wait for you<em>

_So break my step  
>And relent<br>Well you forgave and I won't forget  
>Know what we've seen<br>And him with less  
>Now in some way shake the excess<em>

_'Cause I will wait I will  
>wait for you<br>And I will wait I will wait for you  
>And I will wait I will wait for you..."<em>

**~ "I Will Wait" - Mumford & Sons**

_June 15..._

Claire felt self conscious as she walked into the cafe where she and Rossi had decided to meet up for lunch at. It had been over a week since Aaron had left for the case he was working on currently. They had communicated only when Hotch had sent her a message last night telling her that he loved her and would be home hopefully by tomorrow . It was Monday and Claire wasn't looking forward to spending her anniversary tomorrow alone and pregnant. Plus, she still had the urge to pick a fight with him just because she could. God, she already hated the hormones running rampant in her body.

It had felt like in the twelve days that he had been gone her body had rapidly changed. She had noticed yesterday stepping out of the shower there was now a defined curve to her body. Regular clothes were now tight and uncomfortable. If there was any thing that was good about Aaron being away it was that she could wear his clothes without suspicion. The dress she currently wore did a damn good job at hiding any evidence of a bump even from Laura's prying eyes when she had seen her earlier in the day. She just prayed to merciful God that Rossi wouldn't notice. She hadn't even told Aaron yet and he was the father! He should have been the first to know but she had definitely screwed that up along the way.

Rossi stood from their usual table on the patio. In the four years that he had been retired they had never wavered from their Monday lunches. Claire gave him a hug when she reached him. She was careful to keep her lower half away from him. She wasn't taking any chances with Rossi.

"How's my son-in-law?" Rossi asked once they had been sat back down and the waiter had delivered their drinks and taken their orders.

"I haven't really talked that much with him. He kind of ran out on me last time we were talking," Claire replied trying to keep her cool.

"Sounds like him. Do you have any plans for your big day tomorrow with him? You'll be married three years."

"Dad! He's not even in state. My anniversary will probably consist of me, take out and some old super sad romance that I will bawl my eyes out through or cleaning my house. That's if the man can give me a call and tell me if he's going to be in state. If he is in state tomorrow, it will end up being him working at his office and me trying to figure out which advice Cosmopolitan gives about seducing your workaholic husband into having sex works best. Cause believe me I'm not really getting anything at the moment besides quickies and that isn't exactly satisfying. Whatever I did to deserve this, karma is an official bitch," Claire snapped at him frustrated and torn between anger and bursting into tears. She felt like the stress of everything was eating at her slowly.

Rossi held up his hands in surrender with a grimace, "I don't need to know anymore kid. I get it. How's work?"

The subject quickly changed from Aaron to Rossi's new book. Food was served and Claire moaned as she took a bite out of her pasta.

"That hungry? I thought woman were supposed to watch their figure once they turned thirty," Rossi joked.

Claire stopped mid-bite and swallowed, "Dad, be honest I won't be mad. Do I look like I've gained weight?"

Rossi gave her a skeptical look and raised an eyebrow. She admitted to herself that she probably wouldn't answer that question either. Not with the current mood she had been in all day.

"You look a little thicker in the middle. It's not a bad thing Claire. You've always had a twig like body since you were little. Do I think you're fat? No. You just have a health glow about you," he said cautiously like he was almost waiting for her to kill him.

Claire almost sighed in relief out loud. They finished up lunch and Rossi paid for it as usual before they parted ways with a kiss on each cheek.

* * *

><p>Hotch set down the last file on his stack of files for the case. It was close to nine-thirty at night and the only light that illuminated the office was his lamp on the desk. The five hour flight from LA back to Quantico had passed by faster then he would've expected it to. He had tried to complete as much work as he could in hopes that he could get out of work early and get a gift for Claire. But he hadn't and the conversation from earlier that they'd had kept coming back to haunt him.<p>

_I don't have time for whatever drama is going on in your life. _

Hotch winced at those words. He hadn't meant to be mean towards her or hurtful. The new section Chief, Erin Strauss, was turning out to be the biggest pain in his ass ever. She had demanded a meeting with all the unit chiefs under her supervision and had dragged them through a stupid three hour meeting about protocols and rules, things everyone knew about. Everyone that had left that room had been aggravated, pissed and frustrated including him. Joe Bocotti, Unit Chief and one of the calmest men Hotch, had ever met from Counter Terrorism had thrown the shit fit of all shit fits when he had returned to CT and found out that Strauss was investigating them for a break in protocol three years prior. Hotch was sure that both floors above and below Counter Terror had heard Bocotti swearing up a storm. He dropped about a hundred 'fucks' in two minutes and said every sexually derogatory word that could be thought of about Erin Strauss, her mother and their bodies. Hell, Reid even mentioned that Bocotti had said a few words that even he didn't recognize and asked what they meant.

In the end, Bocotti had called Strauss' superiors and fixed the problem but everyone was now on egg shells over what stunt Strauss would pull next and how Bocotti would react. According to an amused Gideon, who was disappointed he missed Bocotti's fit, Counter Terrorism was still trying to get rid of the ringing in their ears and was drawing straws as to who went into Bocotti's office when Erin Strauss was in the building. Granted, Hotch's own frustration had been pinned on Claire which in his mind was the worst possible way to deal with it but even he was on egg shells about Strauss. Whatever bad blood that was between Strauss and Rossi extended to him as well because he was the son-in-law. He was already in the hole with Strauss for something he didn't even know about and it bothered him. Hotch's computer beeped signaling a new email. Turning around he shook the mouse and caught sight of his pictures of Claire.

Tomorrow would be their third anniversary and he would like to have a nice conversation with her, not a fight about what had happened two weeks ago. Checking his watch he figured she would be in bed soon or at work. It was pathetic in his eyes that he didn't know if she was working or not. Focusing back on the computer, Hotch read the private email from Bocotti with a smile. Bocotti was apologizing for his out burst and anyone he offended was welcome to come and get free pizza next week compliments of the Counter Terrorism Unit. Hotch chuckled knowing that Bocotti wasn't sorry for a damn thing he'd said. He was just saving face.

"Well I'm heading out for the night Hotch. Go home, you've got a beautiful wife there," Gideon called before poking his head into the office with a knowing smile. The sucker had heard the whole fight with Claire and knew that he was in the red with her. Hotch called goodnight back but he didn't feel like going home. After his behavior earlier, he didn't feel ready to face up to her. Claire would probably ignore him and make his life miserable for the next few days but after the way he treated her when she came to see him, he deserved it. He wouldn't have put it passed her to have all the locks on the doors changed and neglect to give him a key after what he'd said. She'd threatened to do it before and she was never one to break promises. The conversation from earlier kept running through his head on a loop. After Deleting Bocotti's email, he shut off the computer and looked back down at the pictures. A white folded envelope caught his eye in the frame behind the wedding picture. Picking it up, he saw his name was written in Claire's handwriting. Dread formed in the pit of his stomach. She put it there because it would have been swallowed up by his desk. He sent a silent prayer up word that it wasn't a 'Dear John' letter. She'd said she had a life changing event that she needed to discuss with him. He began to think of everything that had been happening in the past few months.

He'd been working a lot, hence he's presence in her life had decreased dramatically. Was she moving out? Was this her asking for a divorce? If she didn't want an explosive fight with him, she'd come to his office knowing that he'd never loose his cool while at work. What if she was having an affair? They hadn't been having much sex. That all tied into the whole 'working a lot' issue. His mother's words about her being an 'attractive woman and only putting up with so much of his crap' came slamming back into his head at lighting speed. He sat in silence for a few moments before picking up the white envelope. Claire's curvy handwriting was on the front and the ink was smeared a little.

Tears.

Hotch felt like the world's biggest ass. She'd probably sat here in his chair crying after he left. If she wanted a divorce he wouldn't give it to her with out fighting long and hard for her. He made himself a promise that he would try his damned hardest to fix things with her. Failure wasn't an option in his book. Breaking the seal he opened the top and pulled out a piece of folded paper.

_June 3_

_ I hope this is worth five minutes of your time Aaron. _

_ Claire_

Hotch cocked his head to the side. He was confused. What was she talking about? Anything having to do with her was worth any second of his time She was talking in riddles and he was lost. Opening the envelope to put the letter back inside when he saw it. A small folded paper. Taking it out he read the back and felt all the air leave his lungs.

_Baby Hotchner's first picture. June 3. 12 weeks along._

_Due date is around Dec. 20_

Hotch flipped the photo over. It was an ultrasound picture. The head and hands could be made out as well as little legs.

His baby.

The letter made sense know. Five minutes of his time it certainly was worth. He metal kicked himself. She'd come here to tell him that he was going to be a father and instead he'd been rude, inconsiderate and not to mention that he'd told her that he didn't have time for her. He'd screwed that up. No, correction, he'd royally fucked that up. What was probably supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, he'd gone and squashed any happy memories of it. He hoped that Claire would give him a second change to make it up to her. She deserved that much at least. His mind shifted gears again as he looked back down at the picture. He wasn't quite sure how it had happened. He and Claire had always been careful. Getting her pregnant meant two failed birth controls at once. What were the odds of that happening? Less then one percent? Hotch released the breath he had been holding. A baby. A living, breathing piece of him and Claire. Someone who would be just like them. Have Claire's thousand watt smile and laugh? Hotch felt suddenly fearful of the idea. He and Claire weren't ready to be parents. He wouldn't be a good father anyway. What was the phrase? Like father, like son but Hotch knew he would rather take a bullet between his eyes before he ever hurt Claire's child. He just wasn't prepared to be a father. Twelve weeks, that was three months. She had to have known sometime prior to the third when she'd come to see him. His mind felt like it was racing from shock, to fear, to anxiety, to doubt.

How were they going to handle this?

He knew that financially they could handle a baby, and everything that came with it. They had quite a bit of money stashed away in various accounts and such. If Claire lost her job tomorrow, they would be fine. Her paycheck went basically to savings anyway. They had no debt and had been smart about how they played the markets and economy so far. His mind jumped back to Claire. He needed to see her and talk to her. Hotch yanked out his phone and tried to call her. It went rang once and then she sent him straight to voice mail. He probably deserved that. His behavior as of late as had been horrible and he'd even send himself to voice mail too if he was calling. Hotch stood quickly and put on his suit jacket. A knock on the door stopped him from leaving.

"Come in," he called.

Penelope Garcia's head poked inside and she stepped in, "Uh sir...I have the report I'm supposed to give to you."

"Thank you, is that it?"

"Uh, yes sir," Garcia said nervously as she looked at the computer screen behind him.

Hotch sat back down and opened the file she'd given him. Everything was in order and correct. He sighed the file and handed it back to Garcia.

"Good work Garcia. Everything looks good," he said standing again grabbing his brief case and go-bag. He tucked the ultrasound picture and letter into his breast pocket with his phone.

"Thank you sir," she replied as she stepped out of the way as he walked to the door with his keys in hand. Hotch locked the door and held it open for Garcia while she exited the office before closing it.

"Sir? Congratulations by the way about the baby. I noticed that the envelope in the picture frame was gone," Penelope mumbled as he walked down the steps. Hotch froze and turned to look at her.

"How do you know about that?" he asked, curious how she knew he was going to be a father before he did.

"I came across Claire after you left," Garcia said quietly, "She told me that she had just come from the doctor's office to tell you and that you had left without giving her a chance. She and I went down to the local coffee shop to get a slice of cake and a cappuccino to celebrate. She's really nice."

"Thanks Garcia," Hotch smiled walking down the stairs again heading to the elevator and home. He metally kicked himself again.

* * *

><p>Hotch walked into the twenty-four hour grocery and made a b-line for the flower section. He could never understand why stores were open twenty-fours hours a day. Now he knew. It was for sorry guys like him who needed the peace offering of flowers to live. He looked around the flowers and didn't see anything he liked. There wasn't really anything fancy enough for an anniversary. Most of them were small collections of roses that were dying. Bringing Claire dead, wilted roses would get something thrown at him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw orange and yellow. A small stuffed duck sat next to a vase of blue and yellow Gerber daises. It brought a smile to his face. His first thought was that the duck was perfect for any baby or little kid. It looked soft and had a thing about it that made anyone want to smile. It was the size of a small teddy bear with a white bow around it's neck. The beautiful flowers next to it only entranced him more as the sale lady smiled at him and asked if she could help him.<p>

He negotiated with her for the daises and the duck. Walking out of the store a half hour later with the authentic duck and flowers and sixty bucks less in his pocket, Hotch was ready headed home. The sales woman had kept insisting that he needed to place an order but was nice enough just to give him the sample flowers and duck arrangement when he explained that his anniversary was tomorrow and he'd forgotten to place an order. Getting into his car, he hoped that she was home and not at work.

* * *

><p>The house was dark and quiet when Hotch walked through the door later that night around eleven. After setting his brief case and go-bag down on the kitchen table with the vase of flowers and the stuffed duck, he walked back into the entry hall. As Hotch reached the top of the steps he found the bedroom door closed. Pressing his ear against it he closed him eyes as he heard nothing. Peering into the room, he found Claire fast asleep wrapped in a t-shirt of his and a sheet. Vanilla was stretched out next to her and he was asleep too. Hotch leaned down and kissed her head and pulled the comforter over her body more She shifted a little but settled back down to sleep again but not before waking poor Vanilla. Hotch was wanted to wake her up and tell her that he was home safe but he didn't. Instead, he let her sleep and left. He went back down stairs followed by Vanilla to the kitchen where he grabbed his go-bag. He did a quick load of his own laundry and folded a load while watch the tail end of the baseball game on the TV. Movement in the back yard attracted Vanilla's attention and sent the dog barking at the back door. Hotch let the dog out and stood at the french doors and watched as the dog sniffed the ground. His eyes scanned the tree line and back yard taking note of any disturbances. He didn't find any and Vanilla came back to the door wanting to be let opened the door, locked it and took once last look at the backyard. Something didn't feel right.<p>

"I heard Vanilla barking. Is everything okay?" Claire asked with her arms crossed over her chest as she stood at the kitchen table looking at the flowers and the duck. Hotch turned at the sound of her voice and looked at her.

"You're supposed to be asleep," he told her softly. He could hunt killers and it didn't make him flinch but Claire could scare the living daylights out of him like she was doing at that moment with being all quiet and calm.

"I heard Vanilla barking. Is everything okay?" she repeated with a tired look in her eyes.

"Yeah. It was probably a deer or something that caught his attention."

They lapsed into long silence before he spoke again.

"You were going to tell me about the baby that day you came to work weren't you," he said quietly.

"Yes...Aaron and I'm still mad at you for what you said. I know that your job means the world to you. I understand that. But at the same time I am your wife and if you can't carve out five minutes for me to tell you something important then we have serious issues. Do you have any idea how hard it is to nail your ass to a chair and share information sometimes? Well newsflash for you, I am not one of those people in your life that should have to schedule time with you to just have a conversation. I'm you wife, best friend, lover, whatever label you want to put on me and that puts me at the top of the goddamn food chain so to speak. I'm like on the same level as Jesus. So please...don't pull that kind of a stunt again and say all those nasty things because I refuse to feel like second best to your job," Claire said as she burst into tears. The past two weeks of stress finally catching up to her, "I mean for God's sake am I not enough for you?"

She walked into the living room away from him, collapsed onto the couch, and cried harder. Hotch was instantly at her side and pulled her close tucking her face into his shoulder not caring about anything except her. He held her as she sobbed. It was in that moment that he could truly see how hurt she was. He was hardly around before and his words only solidified and worsened the stress she felt. If he was scared of being a father, she had to be panicking inside at the thought of living practically like a single mother when he would be away. He gently rocked her as she cried and did the only thing he could do which was to give her silent strength and comfort.

"I'm sorry Claire," he murmured after she had exhausted herself with her tears, "I love you and I'm sorry for what I said. It was turning out to be a bad day and I turned my frustration out onto you. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. I apologize for saying such hurtful things to you."

Claire nodded after a second, "I forgive you and I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier."

"I probably deserved that. To be honest, I was expecting you to have changed all the locks and combination's to the house and neglect to tell me."

She yawned, "I'll do it one of these days. Don't push it."

He chuckled and kissed her head before standing and picking her up bridal style. He carried her up to their bedroom and put her back to bed. Once she was asleep, he returned down stairs to lock the doors and took the duck and flowers back with him to set on her nightstand. It was a while later when he was laying in bed trying to sleep that she turned over and looked at him wide awake.

"I think that we need at take two. Ready?" she said.

Hotch raised his eyes brows, "What?"

"Aaron, I have something I need to tell you and it's important. I'm pregnant and due five day before Christmas. Congrats."

He couldn't help, he laughed.

"How long have you known that we're going to be parents?" he asked playing along even though he felt silly doing it.

"The end of May."

Hotch closed his eyes and groaned, "That long?"

Claire laughed and kissed his cheek, "Yes. Are you-"

Hotch didn't let her reply instead he kissed her. It was passionate and Claire couldn't quite recall how her underwear had come off or Aaron's undershirt but she found herself in his arms and blissfully unaware of the intruder downstairs.

* * *

><p><strong>He knows! How will everyone else react? <strong>

**I know you've got five seconds...there is a review button below that's begging to be clicked...**

**Ps: Ducky is on the profile page...**

EDITED 12/05/2013


	20. Twenty: Home

EDITED 12/05/2013

**Author's Note: **

**Hello Everyone! Happy Father's Day to those of you who celebrate it! T****hanks to everyone who reviewed including: Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-96, i'moneinamillion, camiguin, shippolove884 and the anonymous reviewer! ****Anyway, quick filler chapter. I hope you like it and leave a review at the end and I might bring Rossi's chapter out tomorrow. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**R4L**

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><p><em>"After 30, a body has a mind of its own."~ Bette Milder<em>

**Chapter Twenty: Home**

_"...Just know you're not alone  
>Cause I'm going to make this place your home<em>

_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
>Don't pay no mind to the demons<br>They fill you with fear  
>The trouble it might drag you down<br>If you get lost, you can always be found_

_Just know you're not alone  
>Cause I'm going to make this place your home<em>

_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
>Don't pay no mind to the demons<br>They fill you with fear  
>The trouble it might drag you down<br>If you get lost, you can always be found_

_Just know you're not alone  
>Cause I'm going to make this place your home..."<em>

**~ "Home" - Phillip Phillips**

_June 16..._

Hotch placed another kiss on Claire's tummy.

"This is bad," he said looking up at Claire who was laying on her back running her fingers through his hair.

"What? Aaron I know we never really talked about this but it's a done deal now. It's not like a shirt you can just return!" Claire said as he laughed.

"No, I meant that a first grandchild is a great Christmas gift. I'm just saying how do we top that kind of gift next year?"

Claire rolled her eyes, "It's one-thirty in the morning on our anniversary and you're worried about Christmas next year."

Hotch placed another kiss on her tummy and let his fingers explore her changing figure.

"I want to know how I never saw a change in your body," he murmured.

"Because you're a good husband who would never comment on my body at all so you don't look for flaws maybe?" Claire supplied with a smile.

Hotch laughed and gave her tummy one last kiss before moving to lay next to her.

"I'll admit that I wasn't prepared to see a picture of a baby on my desk. I didn't think that you would get pregnant while on birth control and us using a condom but I guess it's possible."

Claire sat up and reached over him for the stuffed duck.

"Where did you find this?"

Hotch ran his hand up and down her spine, "I found that while buying flowers. It seems cute, soft and I thought the baby might like it."

Claire smiled nervously, "I know this wasn't planned but you are okay with it, right?"

He chuckled and gently pulled her to lay down next to him. Putting the duck on the night stand and shutting off the light, Hotch kissed the top of her head as she snuggled as close to him as she could.

"I am excited, nervous, worried, elated, you name it. But I'm happy he's going to be here. We've always talked about having a family but in theory now it's happening I'm happy about it." He said quietly.

"You think it will be a boy?"

"I don't know but I wouldn't mind a little girl."

Claire didn't say anything but pulled the comforter over them and snuggled close to him.

* * *

><p>Claire watched Hotch as he tied his tie in the mirror from bed. The sheet was tucked under her as she laid on her side towards him.<p>

"I haven't told anyone in the family yet. How should we handle this?" she said quietly.

Hotch walked to the bed and sat down next to her, "I'm not really sure exactly. Rossi's birthday is this weekend we could tell them then."

"Okay. We could do that. It'll be our little secret for the next four days."

Hotch chuckled, "Alright, you go back to sleep. I'll call you at lunch okay?"

Claire nodded, "I love you."

"I love you too. Get some sleep sweetheart."

* * *

><p>He walked up the steps of the house. Hotchner was funny to watch. The man had checked every door to make sure it was locked before leaving his home but he knew it wasn't a big deal to get into their house. He picked the lock of the back door and stepped into the house carrying the small bag that he had with him. His Claire was asleep upstairs and he was here to see her more. Claire and him needed to have honesty. He mounted the steps and quiet slipped into the bedroom. The closet door was open and he began to smell her clothes. They smelled like a mix of the lavender detergent she used on her things and her favorite perfume. He slipped the white tank top in bag. She wouldn't miss it. Now that she was pregnant she wouldn't need the clothes and he could touch them and smell them all he wanted too. He also took a bottle of her mascara and a pair of black lacy underwear with him.<p>

He was so excited and aroused by the scent of her...

* * *

><p>"I need you to sign this," Claire said coming into the bedroom four days later on Saturday afternoon looking for Hotch.<p>

"I'm getting dressed. I'll be out in a moment," he said from the closet.

Claire sat Indian style on the made bed and felt a wave of tiredness wash over her. It was one o'clock and she felt like nap time was in order. Tiredness was nothing new to her. She had been feeling that way since late May. It had recently become an annoyance of her life and left her prone to moods. She had found an old dress that Laura had let her borrow but she never returned that was comfortable and hid her changing figure well. It was an empire waist, spaghetti strapped dress with floral print. Early in the morning she had been putting mascara on when Aaron had said he could see a slight change in the curve of her body. He had pressed a hand to her tummy as she had tried to focus and put the mascara on but he only made her hormones run rampant. She yawned for what felt like the thousandth time that day as he came into the bedroom wearing a light blue polo shirt and nice khaki dress pants.

"What do you need me to sign?" he asked dropping a kiss on to her head.

"I n-n-need you to-o-o-o sign the card-d-d-d." Claire yawned again.

Hotch chuckled and quickly scribbled his name.

"Let's go sleepy head. You can sleep on the way to the party. If we leave now we might avoid traffic," he said taking Claire's hands and pulling her to her feet. She didn't say anything but kissed him and walked out of the room. Hotch grabbed a small blanket from the closet and followed her down stairs shutting off the lights as he went. They pulled out of the driveway ten minutes later. Claire fell asleep almost instantly after he had given her the blanket, leaving Hotch to his own thoughts for the half hour drive to Rossi's.

He was happy to be sharing the news with the family. The past four days had been spent acclimating himself to the idea he was going to be a father. He'd had to remind himself a few times when she was moody that she was pregnant and her needs had changed. Her body was changing to accommodate another life and she was experiencing that first hand. Aches were normal. Moodiness was normal. Tiredness was normal. The pieces of the puzzle were finally beginning to fit together for the seemingly odd things did. It made sense to him that she'd steer away from him after he had made a cup of coffee. The smell of it made her sick. He had returned home after going for a run that morning and had watched her putting on mascara when he had noticed a gentle curve of her body outward. A sign that Claire's body was changing to accomadate their child who was still safely tucked inside his or her mother. It was amazing to finally see something instead on knowing but not really seeing. He had felt a sense of wonder everytime he touched her tummy knowing that their baby was growing in leaps and bounds inside of her. Soon the baby would move and be changing in it's own ways.

Pulling into Rossi's driveway and parking the black Ford Escape, Hotch noted what looked like Gideon's car parked on the curb. Gideon had been released from his mandatory leave and was just getting back into the swing of things. That Rossi had invited Gideon brought a smile to Hotch's face. Gideon needed to be around people who cared about him and supported him. It was the only way he'd get over what had happened in Boston. Hotch unbuckled his seat belt and got out of the car. Walking to the passenger side, he opened the door and gently shook Claire's knee to wake her.

"Sweetheart we're here," he said quietly.

Claire moved her head and turned to look at him through her dark sunglasses. She was instantly getting out of the car. Hotch watched her carefully. Dizziness had been an issue of late and it made him nervous when she stood up fast like she had getting out of the car. Her nearly passing out from standing quickly yesterday had taken ten years off his life, he was sure. He gently placed a hand on her lower back as they walked to the door and knocked.

"Claire, Aaron!" Maria said opening the door giving them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek as they stepped into the large foray, "Everyone is on the back deck. I'm almost finished making the egg salad and Sean should be arriving soon. Marilyn beat you here by about twenty minutes."

Claire's pale face didn't escape Hotch's notice. Eggs, fish and coffee were not things that agreed with her for the moment. They reached the kitchen and Maria opened the back door for them to exit while she returned to her cooking. Gideon, Rossi and Marilyn all sat under the umbrella at the glass table with four chairs chatting.

"Claire and Aaron finally make it! I was wondering if you had gotten lost or something," Rossi said standing and hugging his daughter tightly.

"Nope, we just hit all the red lights. Happy Birthday Dave," Hotch said shaking hands with his father-in-law.

After hugs and greeting had been shared, Claire sat down on Hotch's lap. She rested her head on his shoulder and within minutes she and was sleeping again. Hotch had expected that she would go back to sleep as he wrapped his arms around her waist as rested his hands on her hip.

"How was that meeting with the new Unit Chief?" Gideon asked as he turned to look at Hotch.

"It was alright. We're opening another spot for a field agent per her orders," Hotch said as Gideon nodded and looked away.

"What about Reid and Morgan?" He asked after a few minutes of silence, "Do you think we'll need the manpower?"

"Reid and Morgan are fine with it. Whether or not we need it isn't important. Orders are orders Jason."

"Has Claire been working long hours? She went out like a light." Gideon asked pointing at Claire who was still asleep in his lap.

Hotch chuckled, "Something like that. Strauss mentioned you might be taking my job back."

"I'm debating if I want to go back to being Unit Chief. From what I hear you've been doing a good job at it," Gideon replied as a warm breeze blew in.

"I think you should come back and do your job. The position is yours, I'm just filling in for you."

Gideon chuckled, "Hotch even if they offered I wouldn't take it. Might as well get comfy in that office of yours now. Put a picture up or something."

The back door opened and Maria stepped out with a pan of finger sandwiches followed by Sean. She set the plate down and went back into the house mumbling about the fish burning.

"Aaron," Sean said clasping his brother's shoulder, "How's my favorite older brother doing?"

Hotch snorted, "I'm your only older brother and I'm fine. How are you?"

"Fantastic. Mom," Sean greeted and kissed her cheek, "How are you?"

Hotch watched as his brother pulled up another chair that Rossi had gone to get and sat down next to his mother.

"Did he just get here?" Claire whispered sleepily to him.

"Yeah. Welcome to the land of the living. How do you feel?"

"Like I want to go back to sleep."

"Do that and you won't sleep tonight."

"Yeah, yeah smart ass," Claire said slowly sitting up and standing.

"Afternoon sleepyhead," Sean laughed, "How many hours do they have you working down at Memorial ER?"

"More then I want to be working," Claire replied looking extremely pale, "I'll be back."

She slipped quietly into the house using a side door to a sun room instead of the kitchen. Conversation and laughter continued but Hotch stood and followed Claire. The first bathroom he came across the door was closed and he could hear her retching inside. He opened the door and quickly walked in, closing it behind him. She was hunched over the toilet and looked miserable. Hotch grabbed a wash cloth and ran it under cold water. Ringing it out, he crouched down beside her and put the cool cloth on her neck. It was a few minutes later that she was able to stand and wash her mouth out with the mouth wash Hotch had found under the sink.

"I feel horrible. I just felt sick all of a sudden when she opened the door. I'm sorry but I'm not eating whatever she made in there. If I can hardly stand the smell I guarantee I won't like it in me," Claire said quietly as she sat on the counter and leaned into him. Hotch pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on top of her head.

"You have to eat something. How about I make you up a plate that way you at least don't have to go in, fair?" he tried to bargain.

Claire nodded, "I really just want to go back to sleep not eat."

"I know."

He stood there hugging her in his arms letting her rest for a few minutes before she would have to go back and face the party. Part of him wanted to just take her home and let her sleep but he knew that once Maria knew about the baby she would be on top of Claire like a Marine about taking care of herself. The woman gave a whole new meaning to Italian mothering. He planned on asking Rossi if he or Maria could stay with Claire while he was away on work. The idea of her being at home alone for days on end was unnerving to him. The thought of something happening and no one being there to help her unsettled him and made him feel helpless.

"We should go back. Maria is probably ordering up a search party for us," Claire said.

Hotch let her go but held onto her hand as he opened the door and they made their way back to the deck.

"We were wondering where you two went," Rossi said as they walked out into the sunlight, "Maria just said that lunch is ready."

"I was showing Aaron a picture. I told him about the time Laura and I went skinny dipping back in high school with Harry Lopez in Mr. Townshed's pond and how Harry got the picture of our feet stuck in the pond."

Rossi and Gideon laughed, "I remember that. Rossi and I were on a case and he blurted something out on the phone about skinny dipping and pictures. The whole department laughed so hard that we were crying as he told us the story."

"Townshed asked after you the other day I ran into him. I told him you were married and he told me that he'd pray for Aaron," Rossi laughed, "Nothing you did as a teenager ever surprised me. I was always curious to see how you would top yourself next time."

Claire rolled her eyes and set her sunglasses on the table before taking a seat.

"Thanks. I love the support," she said sarcastically.

"I supported you. I had the DC police department know to call me directly in the event it was ever more then an ounce and cost more then five-hundred in damages," Rossi said as everyone laughed.

"What did you smoke in high school Claire?" Sean laughed.

"I've had any kind of drugs in my life Sean. I had friends that did it but never me. I just would lie and make them give me a hundred bucks every time I saved their sorry asses from the cops. Did I do other things? Yes. I was practically a regular at the police station downtown. "

Maria poked her head out of the window, "I make Dave's favorite fish and no one wants to eat it? Let's go before it gets as old as you Mr. Rossi."

Everyone laughed again and moved to the kitchen to grab a plate.

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><p><strong>I know you've got five seconds! Do it! Do it! <strong>

**Up next, Rossi's reaction!**

EDITED 12/05/2013


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello Everyone! I was going to update this last night but I burnt my hand and really couldn't type...**

**Anyways, Thanks to everyone who reviewed including: hxchick, shippolove844, i'moneinamillion, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, p95000, You cant rush science. , and my one anonymous reviewer! **

**I promise by this time next week you will know if baby Hotchner is a boy or a girl...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

* * *

><p><em>"Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." ~ John F. Kennedy <em>

**Chapter Twenty-One: Surprise!**

Rossi chuckled at the gag gift that Sean had gotten him. Pull-ups for adults.

"Thanks kid. Remind me to give you a pair before you leave. I'm not even sixty yet and I'm getting shit about being old." Rossi said.

Lunch had been a nice affair and Maria insisted that they let it settle before they have cake hence opening presents first.

"Thank you all for the gifts." Rossi said standing after he had opened the last one to give everyone a hug as Maria went to go get the cake.

Hotch had Claire sitting on his lap again and he rubbed her back, "Do we wait or do it now?"

"If we do it now everyone will forget about the cake and I really would like a slice Aaron. I didn't have much at lunch."

Hotch chuckled, "Cake it is."

Marilyn stood and helped Maria by holding open the door as she brought the cake out.

"I made chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and blue icing. I also bought pecan ice cream if anyone wants any."

"Maria I love you." Sean said kissing the small woman on the cheek. She blushed and batted him away.

"You only love me for my cakes."

"And your ability to fix anything. I've yet to get a call from my sister-in-law saying she needs something fixed. I guess you've taught her everything you know."

Maria chuckled, "Of course I did."

"I'm sorry you feel so left out Sean. I have a list of things I need done in the backyard. I've been using my next door neighbor's dirt poor college kid but if you'll do it for free like Aaron does, I call you anytime." Claire joked as Maria lit the candles.

"Aw...the college kid needs it more then I do. Keep calling him."

Maria started to sing 'Happy Birthday' and everyone began to join in after her wishing Rossi a happy 57th birthday.

Cake was soon cut and served with ice cream to everyone's delight. Claire bit into a piece of cake and gave a moan of approval.

"I take it that the cake is good." Hotch said with a chuckle.

"Yes. Here, try some." Claire said offering him a bite from her fork.

Hotch took it and nodded his approval, "Maria has once again out done herself."

"Thank you Aaron. I'm glad to know Claire and you love my cake. What kind of cake are you having for your birthday this year?"

"Same as last year. Vanilla with coconut frosting." Hotch said while everyone laughed. He'd had the same kind of birthday cake for the past four years.

Claire had come down from Boston on his birthday weekend when they were dating, to make him a cake for when he came home. She had sweet talked the custodian into letting her in his apartment and had made vanilla cake with coconut frosting making the whole floor of the building smell like vanilla. It had been the best birthday suprise to find a cake and card made for him when he had returned a case around two o'clock in the morning. Now every year he had her make the same cake for his birthday.

"Aaron, can I have the keys? I left something out in the car." Claire said standing up. Hotch fished them out of his pocket and watched her walk down the steps of the deck and to the backyard gate that connected the front yard and the back. Everyone kept eating their cake and ice cream so naive of the treat they were about to recive. Hotch attempted to hid the smile that threatened to engulf his face as he saw her coming back towards the deck. She held a single envelope and the keys.

"You finished your ice cream really fast." She said taking her place on his lap again.

"It was good."

Claire smiled and leaned down to kiss him.

"Hey no PDA at the table." Sean called laughing.

"You should have seen the PDA I was getting back in March at the charity dinner. If you brought a lady over to meet us we wouldn't be saying that to you." Claire said as Hotch laughed.

"If there is one thing I love about my sister-in-law it's that she knows how to dish it back." Sean said putting his hands behind his head.

"Amen. Some one has to put you back in your place." Marilyn laughed.

"Dad, Aaron and I have one more present that I forgot to give you." Claire said standing and passed the card to Maria who passed it to Marilyn who gave it to Rossi.

"If this is some all expenses paid vacation, kid I'm going to turn you over my knee like your five again." Rossi joked.

"Just open it. I promise it's better then a paid vacation but you will feel a tiny bit old." Hotch and Sean chuckled as Rossi ripped the envelope.

She and Aaron squeezed hands as Rossi pulled the card out.

"Smile! This is your big present." Rossi said reading the front of the card before opening it and reading the inside, "Love Aaron and Claire."

A folded piece of paper fell out and Rossi flipped it over reading the back out loud.

"Early Christmas present due around December 20."

"What is it?" Maria asked.

Rossi flipped the picture over and nearly burst into tears. It was an ultrasound picture.

"Marilyn," Rossi started with a large smile on his face, "How would you like to have the title Grandmother?"

"What?"

Marilyn looked wide eyed at Aaron and he nodded.

Maria laughed joyfully and Gideon chuckled as Rossi passed Maria the ultrasound picture.

"Oh Claire!" Marilyn said standing to hug Claire, who had stood along with Aaron to stretch their legs.

"How long have you know?"

"Since late May." Claire replied with a smile.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Maria asked trying to wipe away tears of joy.

"I wanted Aaron to be the first to know and it took some time to nail him to a chair to share it with him."

Marilyn laughed and hugged her son, "Oh I'm so happy for you both. Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?"

"We find out July third and we'll let you know the forth of July." Hotch said with a smile as Sean whacked him on the back in congratulations.

Maria hugged Claire and kissed her cheek, "How far along are you?"

"Fourteen weeks."

Maria brought a hand to her heart, "That far?"

"I have been waiting for the right moment. Dad guessed on it earlier in the week but it didn't seem fair to tell him and not all of you."

Sean and Gideon both offered hugs and congratulations on the baby before Maria insisted that Claire sit down because she had been standing in the sun for a long time.

Everyone wanted to know every detail. How had morning sickness been? Were they happy with it? What kind of names they were thinking about? Did Claire need new clothes already?

* * *

><p>The rest of the afternoon was filled with questions and the minute Claire told Maria that the fish smell earlier had made her sick the woman marched into the house and put the fish in the garbage disposal.<p>

It was close to seven when Aaron said they needed to be going. Sean had left already because of work the next day and Claire was falling asleep again exhausted from all the attention. Rossi walked them to the door after Maria and Marilyn had both said goodbye to Claire. Rossi pulled Claire into a hug as Hotch went to go start the car giving them a moment together.

"I'm sorry if I stole the show from you today papa. I wasn't trying." Claire said tiredly.

"I'm glad you did. It was the best surprise I've ever gotten Claire."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too. Now I think it's time you went home and slept. My grandson is exhausting already isn't he?"

Claire laughed tiredly and kissed his cheek, "Yes, she is. Bye dad."

Rossi waved as Hotchner backed out of the driveway.

His little girl was going to be a mother. It was exciting. There would be a new baby in the family. Someone to teach everything to. It didn't bother him so much the thought as it had years ago. His little girl was an adult making a family with her husband even though it felt like just yesterday he had been holding her as a baby for the first time.

"Did you see that one coming?" Rossi asked the women as he stepped back out on to the deck in the setting sun.

"Yes."

"Yes."

Rossi looked at Maria and Marilyn, both of them chuckled.

"She went pale when I said eggs. She also came into the house after I put the eggs sandwiches on the table and Aaron followed her into the bathroom. The sounds I heard weren't sexual at all. I checked. Poor girl was busy loosing the contents of whatever was in her stomach. Then Aaron got her plate of food and voila no fish or eggs were on it. Oh, and the whole time she sat on his lap Aaron's had was always touching her."

Marilyn laughed, "She looked like she had gained weight in the middle and I now how Claire exercises and came to the conclusion that either she had been letting herself go or she was pregnant."

* * *

><p>Hotch walked up the stairs and stopped in the door way of their room. Claire was watching TV and Vanilla's head rested in her lap.<p>

"What are we watching?"

"I'm so not answering that. We've seen this episode like a million times."

Hotch chuckled and joined her on the bed were she was laying back against the pillows. He wrapped an arm around her and rested his hand on her growing tummy. It had been two weeks since they had told the family about the baby and Claire was already sixteen weeks along. A viewable change in her body could be seen to others and but she was still wearing his clothes around the house.

"How was your meeting with the section chief?" Claire asked as she shifted again to get comfortable.

"I'm supposed to stay in charge until they decide if Gideon will come back as chief permanently or not. If not then I'll remain Unit chief."

"I think you should take the opportunity Aaron. You're good at the job and it's doing what you love." Claire said muting the cartoon and sitting up.

"I know that it's just with the job there comes a lot more responsibilities and hours. I don't want for you and the baby to never see me. It wouldn't be fair to anyone. Besides you'll need help when she's here."

Claire chuckled and kissed his cheek, "Your mother and Maria have been calling me everyday to see if there's something I need or if we've decided a name yet. I'm will be fine with everything. Aaron you love that job and those people there are a team. They need you as much as I do. You and I both know that if they don't promote internally they do it externally and that can just destroy a good team like the BAU has. This is the best way for the team to remain and for you guys to be able to function to the best of your abilities. I have seen this happen before, the director brings in a new team leader and the best team in the department becomes the worst."

Hotch pulled the pillow out from under his head and let his head hit the mattress, "I just don't want you and my family to resent me for working longer hours and making you feel like I'm not doing my fair share of anything."

Claire laid down on her side and ran her fingers through his short black hair.

"When I was little and couldn't understand why my Dad left so much Maria explained to me that my dad caught bad guys and saved people. When I asked her if he saved moms and dads she smiled and told me that he saved families. From that day on I told everyone that I thought my dad was a super hero and he saved people. One time I met a woman from a case that Dad had worked. She smiled and told me my Dad was the bravest person that she knew. I never resented him for leaving. I always thought about the people that he was saving and that he loved me but his job just took him different places to help different people. Do you think I would let this baby resent you and be angry at you? When our child is older he or she is going to know that their Dad saves people and stops the bad guys. I would rather tell them the truth and have them ask me 'where is Daddy?' then to make some sugar coated lie. Besides with all the technology we have you think I wouldn't keep you updated? Aaron I have to update our phones because as Maria pointed out, I have to keep you up to date on everything that happens here. She even suggested I keep a little diary for all the days your away so you always know what's going on with the baby and me."

Hotch smiled at her and replied a few minutes later, "Thank you. I don't feel a bad as I did a few minutes ago. I'm still going to think about this though. I feel like our child should at least have a parent always around. I want to make the best decision for everyone."

They laid in silence for a few moments and Claire stilled her hand, "I don't think I want to go back to work after the baby is born. I now that you'll be away and I just don't like the idea of leaving him with a sitter all day. I already feel guilty at the thought of it."

Hotch closed his eyes and thought for a few minutes before replying again.

"We've been saving and investing money for years Claire. We have paid off all our debts and we've been smart about our money. We can handle it financially well, after all your pay check is practically put into savings every week. We have enough for us to be more then comfortable. I think that it would probably be a good idea if you stayed home. If it's what you want then I'm all for it. If you're happy then I'm happy."

Claire groaned, "What would really make me happy is if your kid would get off my bladder."

She climbed out of bed to use the bathroom while Hotch tried not to chuckle. He grabbed the remote and changed the episode to a different one and waited for her to come back.

Claire returned and climbed into bed with him as the credits kicked on.

"What time is your car being serviced again?" Hotch asked his hand unconsciously moving to rest on her tummy as they spooned in bed.

"Three but it won't be done till five. The dealership is giving me a ride to Laura's office and she is dropping me off at your work at four-fifteen. Excited?"

"Very."

* * *

><p><strong>Right...gender next chapter...maybe if I get reviews. I know there's a bunch of you out there that aren't reviewing but subscribing...five seconds...that's all I'm asking for.<strong>

**And those of you who are reviewing, Thanks again! **

**Mxoxo**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello Everyone! Wow! Last chapter I had the most reviews ever! Thanks so much to everyone that reviewed and spent those five seconds! You all rock! Thanks to: p95000, Grace Adara Pendragon, camiguin, Duchess of Lantern Waste, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, i'moneinamillion, hxchick, shippolove844, and my three anonymous reviewers! I decided that with so many reviews that I wouldn't torture you guys and totally give you all the next chapter...so with out preamble. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Enjoy...Mxoxo  
><strong>

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><p><em>An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship. ~Spanish Proverb<em>**  
><strong>

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Boys and Girls**

_July 3..._**  
><strong>

Hotch looked at the clock in his office, four-ten.

It had been an effort to concentrate for the last hour as he realized by the time he would be going to sleep tonight he would know if he'd chancing off boys or watching baseball games in the coming years. His mother had called at lunch asking how Claire was and if they were going to find out the sex of the baby. Hotch reassured her several times that they were. Even Rossi had called around two to bug him about remembering to have Claire bring the results of the scan with her. It was a National Holiday weekend and everyone would be quitting at five and the air was full of anticipation. Quitting time was soon.

Hotch groaned as the phone rang. He hoped to God it wasn't a case.

* * *

><p>Claire stepped out of the elevator and held back her laughter. Everyone in the office looked like they were chickens without heads. She approached Morgan's desk and sat down in the spare chair right next to it.<p>

"Is Friday always so chaotic?" she asked as Morgan chuckled.

"It's a holiday tomorrow Claire. We get Monday off too. Hell yeah it's exciting, forty-five more minutes and then I'm free for seventy-two hours. What brings you here?" Morgan asked.

"Doctor's visit."

"Claire!"

Claire turned her head and saw Penelope coming towards her.

"How are you? Don't stand up." Garcia asked as she pulled the petite brunette woman into a large hug.

"I' m wonderful. You?"

"I can't wait for you to tell me if I'm buying pink or blue clothes. Oh Morgan don't look so surprised. For heaven's sake you can see a bump!"

Claire laughed at the look on Morgan as he inspected her tummy with his eyes, "Aaron hasn't told everyone yet has he? We're going to find out today if it's a girl or a boy. I'm four months pregnant by the way Morgan."

"Who's pregnant?" Reid asked joining the group.

"Hotch's wife is." Garcia said with complete seriousness.

"Hi, Reid. How's your day going?" Claire asked giving a friendly wave.

"Good. Did you know that 467,201 babies are born prematurely in the United States?"

Claire laughed, "Reid babies come when they want to and most of the time premature birth can be prevented. I've seen plenty of women come into the ER with complications and the babies are most of the time okay."

"I don't get what you mean by they come on when they want to. Babies are carried until 40 weeks."

Claire just laughed again and shook her head, "You'll know what I mean someday Reid. Science doesn't play into everything."

"Speaking of due dates, when are you due?" Morgan asked.

"December 20 or some time around Christmas."

"You look like you're being tortured Claire." Hotch said as he joined the group and rested his hand on the back of her chair.

Claire smiled at him.

"Hotch you never told us you were going to be a father. Congratulations." Reid said.

"Thanks Reid." Hotch said glancing at his watch.

"When were you going to tell us?" Morgan asked.

"It was going to be my Christmas present." Hotch said with a rare smile.

Morgan shook his head.

"We should get going Aaron the traffic was bad on the way over here." Claire said quietly as she stood up.

Hotch agreed and they both said good-bye to the trio before setting out towards the elevator.

* * *

><p>Hotch sat in the waiting room with a bunch of female, girly magazines around him and an infomercial talking about ovarian wellness.<p>

Like he even knew about half the things they were talking about in the magazines let alone the television.

The game of Tertis he had started playing flashed 'You lose' again and Hotch nearly groaned aloud. Claire had been called back for an examination and she had asked him to wait in the waiting room for five minutes. That was twenty minutes ago and he was beginning to remember now why he hated Doctor's offices.

The woman down three seats had been yacking away on her phone since he had sat down forty-five minutes ago and wasn't anywhere near done to being finished. Just as he was about to yank his hair out a nurse stepped into the waiting room.

"Mr. Hotchner?" she said looking around for him.

He stood quickly and followed her to the room where Claire sat on the exam table dressed and smiling.

"Survived I see. I'm not going to walk out to a crime scene am I?" she joked.

"Nope. Just please don't abandoned me like that again."

Claire laughed, "I'm glad you didn't and I'm sorry it took so long. Gina and I had to do some talking."

"About?" Hotch asked sitting down into the small plastic chair designed for a woman not a 6'2" man.

"She wanted to know how I felt and what everyone's reactions were to us telling them about the baby."

A knock at the door stopped Hotch's response as a nurse opened the door for the ultrasound tech to push the machine in.

Soon everything was set up and she was pointing everything out to Hotch and Claire about the baby, noting length, certain features it was developing and would be developing in the coming weeks.

Hotch was for the first time in his life speechless as he ran his fingers over the top of Claire's hair as he watched. He smiled when he heard the heart beat of his baby. It was amazing to know that the little person on the screen had been created by him and Claire.

"Would you like to know the sex?" the tech asked.

" Don't tell us. Can you write it down and put it in an envelope? I want to be able to share the big moment tomorrow with " Claire asked smiling.

* * *

><p>Hotch set the cupcakes down on the floor of the trunk as Claire came out followed by Vanilla. She had made two dozen cup cake, one dozen with pink frosting the others with blue frosting for dessert. She opened the door behind the passenger's seat and patted the carpeted floor. Vanilla hopped up into the back seat and sat on the seat.<p>

"Is that everything?" Hotch asked as he looked at Claire who was dressed in tan shorts and an empire waist sleeveless white top. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She looked at him in her sunglasses as she thought.

"I have everything. Do you have the envelope?" she said after a few moments of deliberation.

Hotch pulled it out and showed her the unbroken seal.

When Claire had asked for the tech to write it down he had been curious but when Claire explained it would be the perfect surprise for everyone, he had to laugh at his wife's ability to tease people unmercifully.

"I think were good. Vanilla, sit and don't move." Hotch said as they got into the Escape and he backed out.

"I kind of want to cheat." Claire said as Hotch turned the corner on to the main road of the subdivision.

Hotch laughed, "Wait an hour and it'll be worth it I promise."

* * *

><p>They pulled into Rossi's driveway forty-five minutes later. Other cars were in the driveway and parked on the curb around the block for various houses. It was chaos.<p>

Maria greeted them at the door and immediately took the pan of cupcakes Claire was carrying and scoled for not coming and getting some one to carry the pan. Vanilla came in following Claire but went to the screen door, opened it and let himself out onto the deck.

"Smart dog." Gideon said a few moments later, coming in with a cup in hand.

"He's my night in shining armor."

"Hey! I thought that was my title." Hotch said setting the second pan on the counter.

Gideon chuckled and gave Claire a hug, "How have you been in the two weeks since I last saw you?"

" doctor said everything looks good and the baby's healthy."

"That's always good. How's Hotchner been over there? Please tell me you've been giving him helluva time and making him rethink ever getting married or having a kid." Gideon joked.

"No he's been perfectly helpful and I appreciate everything he does." Claire said with a smile.

Hotch kissed her head, "I'm happy to help."

Gideon chuckled and moved away to get a drink. Claire wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled, "I love you very much."

"I love you too." Hotch said kissing her, "Why don't we go say hello to everyone before I get accused of monopolizing you. God forbid my mother and Maria start a tug of war match with you and me."

They stepped out onto the deck and Marilyn stood and hugged them both.

"Oh you look wonderful Claire. Have you felt the baby move yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Boy or girl?" Sean called from over by the grill.

"Not sure." Hotch called back as Marilyn pulled a chair under the shade of the umbrella and put Claire into it. Vanilla moved from his spot in the sun to sit next to Claire like a guard dog.

"Bummer."

"It's a modest baby that all. Claire was so modest she kept her damn legs crossed for eight and a half months. I didn't find out it was a girl till two weeks before she born. You can imagine the rush it was to get the nursery done and find a name. Good Lord, I still remember that lecture Maria gave on paint fumes and babies. Hotch if you don't want Maria to be on your ass about stuff then I suggest that you steer clear of her the closer it get to Christmas. I might just get her Vicodin, Prozac or even Xanax just so she can cope in the coming months." Rossi said as Sean bent over laughing, "Hi Sweetheart how are you and my grandchild?" he continued giving his daughter a hug.

"Your grandchild is fine, we both are. Thank you for asking."

"Claire why are half the cupcakes blue and the other half pink?" Maria called for the screen door.

"I couldn't decide."

Maria groaned and muttered an oath to skin Claire alive after the baby was born.

* * *

><p>The day had been spent laughing and spending time with family. Lunch had been wonderful and delicious as Maria once again out did herself on the dishes and Sean was complimented for his grilled chicken. After lunch, Rossi and Gideon began discussing his latest book while the Hotchner brothers discussed sports and Sean caught Aaron up to speed on part of the baseball season.<p>

The woman had for the most part split off into the lawn chairs under the large willow tree where Claire had taken a two hour nap and Maria and Marilyn had discussed everything under the sun about the baby to what they thought would be a good name to go with the last name Hotchner, to what kind of things they should buy to the theme of the baby shower.

It was close to four when Hotch came down to find them in the shade and Claire asleep.

"So is it time for dessert yet?" Marilyn asked as Hotch gently lifted Claire's legs and rested her size six feet in his lap.

"Nope. I just came down here to see where you'd all run off to."

"Maria thinks that the name Nicolette Hotchner would be nice. I was bullied in the tenth grade by a girl named Nicky about having braces. I'm sorry but I'm vetoing that one right out of the gates." Claire said half-asleep as Hotch slid her flip flop off and fished around in his pocket before procuring a bottle of silver nail polish.

Claire turned her head and fell back asleep while Maria smiled at Aaron.

"How thoughtful! Where did you get the idea to do that?" Marilyn asked.

"She mentioned earlier today that it had been a pain to try paint her toes last weekend and she wanted to paint them before she couldn't see her feet. She's had this polish since we got married. In fact this was the nail polish she used on our honeymoon. It's her favorite so I figured I grab it and find time to do it for her today."

Marilyn chuckled and stood, "It's nice of you to do that Aaron. Women sometimes need to just be taken care of and Claire's no exception. Three months from now she'll be uncomfortable and probably wanting everything to be over with. It's the little things people do that will help her the most. Like helping make the bed or picking up things that have fallen on the floor and such."

"Those message thingy that you buy and attach to chairs are nice too. Mary Wilburt's daughter was pregnant and she used on in bed laying down and loved it." Maria said to Marilyn as they started another conversation about ideas for relaxing while walking back to the house.

The wind finally began to blow and the humidity felt less in the half hour Hotch took to paint Claire's toe nails which was a blessed relief from earlier in the day.

"Thank you." Claire said quietly from her spot laying on the lawn chair once he had almost finished.

"You welcome. How are you feeling?"

"Honestly not that spectacular. I have heartburn and my back is starting to hurt from the chair. Can I sit up?"

Hotch capped the tiny bottle of nail polish and helped Claire to sit up. She winced a little but gave him a small smile.

"The doctor said yesterday not to be surprised if moving quickly hurts a little. It's just round ligament pain." She said as Hotch adjusted the back of the lawn chair so she could sit at a sixty-five degree angle.

Hotch nodded and couldn't help but worry over her as he watched make herself comfortable again.

"Don't look so concerned Aaron. In a few weeks when I'm an absolute witch you'll be so anxious to get out of the house you'll start volunteering for errands. It's a win-win situation, I don't have to move and you don't have to be around me."

Hotch laughed as he put a second coat on the first foot he had painted, "I don't think of you as being a witch Claire. I just think of you as being my wife who is about to accomplish a major feat by bring a new life into the world. That's a big project that takes time and a lot of energy. I understand it when you say your tired, your feet hurt or you just feel like crying. You're taking care of two people with one body and that sounds exhausting to me even though I'll never fully understand parts of it I get it. I know that you don't feel quite like yourself and it's going to get worse before it gets better but everything will be worth it in the end because we'll get to meet the little person who is part of us both. That's the best part, knowing that you and I no matter what happens will always be connected through a child."

Claire smiled tearfully at him, "Do you still have that envelope? And stop making me cry at everything Aaron."

Hotch chuckled, "Moment of truth?"

Claire nodded.

Hotch pulled the envelope out of his pocket after he put the cap on the nail polish. Claire scooted down so that her legs were still in his lap but she was next to him and her thighs were where her feet had been.

"Suddenly I'm really nervous and excited at the same time." Claire said quietly her one hand resting on her tummy and leaned into Hotch. He wrapped an arm around her waist and covered her hand with his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I know that I'll love the baby and you no matter what now just put us both out of our misery. I know I was so curious about the envelope on the dinning room table I couldn't fall asleep."

Claire smiled and kissed him, "I love you too. I was excited too last night. I didn't cheat because I didn't want to be the first to cave."

Hotch laughed and kissed her cheek, "I'm glad you didn't cheat. Now why don't you open the envelope so we can share the news."

Hotch let both his hands rest on her tummy as Claire tore the edge of the envelope and opened it.

She looked up tearfully at him and smiled, "How does a little boy sound?"

Hotch felt tears in his eyes as he looked down at Claire's tummy. He slide his hand under her shirt to touch her skin.

His son was inside of his mother, safe and warm.

"Do you think he can hear us talk to him?"

Claire smiled and let her shoulders rest back against the chair, "He can hear us. I've been talking to him a lot after you leave for work. I tell him all about you and what we're going to do that day. I felt silly at first but I think once he starts moving it will be interesting to see what he responds to."

Hotch chuckled. The thought of feeling his son move was exciting. He gently pulled up Claire's shirt and kissed her belly.

"Hi buddy," he said quietly, "I'm your dad and I just want to tell you that I love you very much just like your mom does. I know that Nonna and Poppi and everyone else can't wait to meet you. I just need you to keep growing strong and safe inside mommy for a few more months then we can meet. I want you to know that ever since she told me about you I've always got you and mommy on my mind. I love you buddy."

Claire ran her fingers through his hair and smiled, "And you worry about being a bad father Aaron Hotchner. After that speech I don't think you should ever second guess yourself."

He kissed her again.

They spent a good hour talking to their son on the lawn chair. Hotch told him all about meeting his mother in Poppi's office and how beautiful she was when she smiled. He also told his son about Vanilla and how the dog was Claire's first Christmas/Engagement gift.

"I like that he hears you laugh." Hotch said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the house.

"Why's that?"

"It's the best sound in the world to me. I know that no matter what you'll still laugh at my fail attempts to make a joke and that just hearing you laugh makes me feel better. I think that him hearing you laugh is when he'll be most active."

Claire smiled as she wrapped an arm around his waist, "You think?"

"Call it an educated guess."

They reached the steps to the deck as Rossi came down the steps to look for them.

"There you two are. We thought you'd fallen off the radar."

"No I just fell asleep in the chair and Aaron stayed with me. I'm sorry if we worried you." Claire said apologetically.

"It's no big deal just come and get some food before Maria has me in a headlock for not getting you sooner."

* * *

><p>"I'll go get dessert." Claire announced as the group was setting in the large backyard of Rossi's colonial house that evening.<p>

"Aaron go with her. God forbid she miss a step and fall on those cobblestone steps. It makes me nervous. Also flip the switch by the door. It'll turn on the out door lights." Maria called as he made his way back up the lawn a few steps behind Claire.

The fire works would start soon and Rossi's backyard had prime seating. The trees weren't too tall and the wind always blew in the right direction.

Hotch caught up with Claire and they entered the house. Hotch flipped the switch like he was told to and watched as Claire uncovered the pan of blue frosted cup cakes.

"Hand me that plate please."

He helped her move the cup cakes over, "Do you think they'll get the message?"

"God I hope so." Claire said laughing, "I've run out of ways to get creative Aaron. You'll be up to bat next if we have to get crafty and tell them some kind of news."

"Claire I know you and I can see the wheels turning in your head."

They finished up and head back down to the lawn as the first fire work shot up into the sky. Everyone helped themselves to a cupcake not paying attention to color or anything but the fireworks.

Claire sat between Hotch's legs on the lawn chair and smiled when she felt his arms wrap around her waist as he held her close. They watched the fireworks together until the last on lit the night sky and it went black. Claire yawned.

"Ready for bed?"

"Yes but I want to tell your mom that I really don't think her grandson will like a pink nursery."

It took a second for everyone to register what Claire had said but when it did Maria burst into tears, "A boy? Oh you two that's wonderful!"

* * *

><p><strong>So...It's now Baby Boy Hotchner! Send a review over and I promise to get the next Chapter out asap! I know everyone out there has five seconds! I know you do! More reviews equals faster updates!<br>**

**Mxoxo**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hello Everyone! I'm so Sorry about the long wait! Life just caught up and between work and everything under the sun it became a little too over whelming...but I back and I brought with me a new Chapter! **

**Thanks to everyone who took the time to review including: Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, p95000, Duchess of Lantern Waste, i'moneinamillion, Reinin-Gurl, Grace Adara Pendragon, Wildcat717, Elfsquire90, taitaliney-2049, You cant rush science, Jaaaack and my one anaoymous reviewer!**

**Thanks you guys for your reviews! I love hearing about your thoughts and ideas! **

**Like I said earlier, sorry for the wait! I'm hoping that life will calm a little and I can get back to writing. Till then, **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

* * *

><p><em>"All babies are beautiful." ~ Jeanne Calment<em>

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Gideon's in the Ring**

_Three months later...mid October..._

"How about James?" Claire suggested from the rocking chair she sat on in the almost finished nursery.

Hotch gave her a look as he tighten the screw to the crib that his son would be sleeping in soon.

"We could call him Luke." Hotch suggested.

"No. I instantly think of Darth Vader. Andrew?" Claire laughed.

"No."

"Dylan?"

"No."

"Charles?"

"You think Vader I think Manson."

"Please don't tell me you just compare your son to Charles Manson."

Claire watched as Hotch tightened the last screws on the white crib.

"Gideon?"

"Naming him after my boss? Claire I'll look like I'm seriously kissing ass."

Claire shook her head and looked out the window of the nursery. She used her legs and slowly pushed back and forth. The room was almost done and she was happy about that. The walls were a soothing mint green and the furniture was white with various items on the surfaces. Maria and Marilyn had been having a ball buying everything known to man that the baby could possibly need.

Claire felt the baby move inside her. At thirty-two weeks pregnant, the baby had become extremely active and he had a tendency to kick Claire in the ribs.

"What about Edward?" she said quietly wincing as he kicked her in the ribs again.

"I like that for a middle name. I assume we're working backward we've got Edward Hotchner for part of the name." Hotch said chuckling.

Claire laughed, "I like it! Are you finished?"

Hotch gave the crib a shake and nodded, "Do you want me to put the bedding on it?"

The loud beeping sound of the fax machine receiving a message alerted them both.

"The bedding is down stairs in the living room. I think Maria set it in there earlier today when she was helping go through the clothes from the baby shower." Claire said as she slowly stood up, "You do that and get your fax and I'm going to go put my feet up. Your son has decided to sit on my sciatic nerve and lower limbs hurt."

Hotch chuckled, "I could try talking to him but I doubt that will help. He just needs more wiggle room."

Claire groaned as she rested a hand on the railing of the crib, "I keep telling myself two more months but that is beginning to feel like a lifetime."

Hotch wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her. Claire rested her head on his chest and sighed. She felt the baby move again and push out.

"Alright buddy I get it. You want me to let go." Hotch said reluctantly pulling away from Claire.

"He's been like that all day. It's like he hasn't stopped moving."

Hotch smiled as he watched her walk out of their son's nursery. The baby had been moving a lot recently and it was comforting to feel him move. It was like his son was letting them know he was there and kicking, literally. He walked down stairs to the living room and saw the folded bedding and accessories in a laundry basket by the couch. Picking up the basket, Hotch walked through the archway that connected Living room to the sun room and picked up the fax. A photo of a missing woman was there as well as a brief note from the director about Gideon.

He sighed, his son's bed wouldn't be made tonight but it would be the first thing that he would be doing the moment he got home. Mounting the steps with the paper and the sheets, Hotch climbed the steps and delivered the basket to the nursery before heading to the master bedroom. The sound of running water alerted him to the bathroom and he stopped to lean against the door way as he watched Claire undress.

"Finished the bed already?" she asked as she unhooked the back of her bra.

"No, I got a fax from the director."

Claire sighed, "I'm not getting that bubble bath I wanted, am I?"

"Sorry. I hate raining on your parade but I don't think you should take one home alone by yourself. Let's not risk you slipping and falling."

Claire agreed and grabbed Hotch's robe. She wrapped it around her and shut the water off. Walking past him, she pulled back the covers of the bed and sat down on the side.

Hotch drained the water in the tub before quickly dressing in a dark navy suit with a white shirt and blue tie.

"I'll be fine for the night you don't have to call Maria." Claire said as he put on a a heavy coat and grabbed his ID badge and gun.

"Are you sure?"

"Aaron I'm not five. I'll be fine by myself for the night. Don't worry." She smiled sitting back against the pillows watching him.

"I'll be states away and I'm not here to protect my family. Call it a guy thing but I'm allowed to worry about you and him. I plan on making up his crib when I get back and finishing the nursery. Don't let my mother or Maria touch anything okay?" Hotch said leaning down to kiss her, "I love you."

"I'll make sure Maria and your mother leave everything alone, promise. I love you too."

Hotch kissed her tummy once and felt his son move, "I love you buddy. I'll be back soon till then take it easy on your mom."

Claire giggled, "Thank you, he loves you too. Now go so you can get back sooner."

Hotch gave her one last kiss before checking to make sure all the down stairs doors and windows were looked before leaving.

* * *

><p>He watched from the laptop as she sat up in bed watching a movie on the television.<p>

"Hey you I get that you need to move but please don't kick my ribs. That part hurts." Claire said quietly as she rubbed her tummy. The robe had fallen open but still covered her breasts and the blankets covered her legs but her stomach could be seen.

He had been watching her for three and a half years.

He had cabinets of photos and hours of video in the basement.

He had perfected breaking into her house and watching her. It was a beautiful thing.

The mirco cameras that he had planted in the vents of the house enabled him to watch her every move without being detected. He had watched every detail of their life. He knew their schedule to the exact second. He was thrilled watching her and knowing that the Hotchners' never knew he was watching and listening.

God he wanted to touch her so badly. Make her his and in the process strangle her to death...their love was a beautiful thing. He opened a different video file from last summer and watched as Hotchner slammed his Claire into a wall while kissing her everywhere. He smiled as he undid his zipper to his pants.

He couldn't wait till the real thing...

* * *

><p>"Enjoying your last day?" Doctor Dean Samuelson, the chief doctor of the ER asked.<p>

Claire chuckled, "You're all going to miss me doing paperwork. I've noticed how when I do the paper work for the majority of the staff every thing gets done faster and runs on schedule. We function better and you're going to be beginning to have me back soon."

Samuelson shook his white haired head, "Your eight months pregnant and I think your husband would shoot me if I let you be on your feet for the shift. He's got a gun and I've seen him come in with a few bad guys ready to shoot them if needed. I like my life. Besides, I need you doing paperwork because the dumb ass first year interns are scared to shit about everything. Are you planning on coming back though? Claire you'll always have a job in my ER. You're one of the best nurses I've seen."

"Thanks Dean, but jury still out on that one. Let me have him first then I'll think about it. Maybe when he's older and in school."

Sofia dropped a file down on top the file Samuelson had given Claire and sighed, "Samuelson I'm losing my partner in crime. Who else is going to help me and manage the mouth of some of the teenagers we get in here?"

Samuelson laughed. Claire was known for being the one who dealt with the teenagers who came into the ER as high off their rocker as could be and set them in their place with a few words.

"I'll stop in still. I promised Nancy in accounting that I'd bring him in so everyone could 'ahhh' over my baby."

A beep was heard and Samuelson looked at his beeper, "I've got to go but have a nice day ladies. I'll see you soon Claire and keep me updated on to the little guy." Samuelson said walking around the counter to give Claire a hug.

The rest of her day passed with various people from different departments of the hospital stopping to deliver gifts and say goodbye and to wish her luck. Claire couldn't remember the last time she had hugged so many people in her life. Maybe it was her wedding? It was quickly becoming an annoyance for her that people wanted to touch her tummy and feel him kick. At six o'clock, she breathed a sigh of relief as her replacement walked through the doors.

Sweet Freedom.

* * *

><p>"Have you and Claire picked out the baby's name yet?"<p>

Hotch snorted and shook his head, "We got a middle name, does that count?"

"Let's hear it."

"Edward." Hotch said as he raised his coffee cup to take a sip.

Gideon nodded, "Blank Edward Hotchner. It's a start. Claire's idea?"

"Yep, she even suggested Gideon for a name."

"What did you tell her?" Gideon laughed.

"No."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Hotch spoke up again.

"Problem is that every time she suggests a name, all I can think of is serial killers that we've caught. Charles, Jeffrey, George, the list goes on."

Gideon shook his head, "I remember before Claire was born Rossi and I had a similar conversation and I'll tell you what I told him. Your kid isn't a case, you've got to separate yourself from the cases and focus on the baby as an individual. He's his own unique person and trust me when you see him, you won't be thinking about killers. You'll be so wrapped up in your son that he'll be the only thing in the world that matters. Now, how's your review coming along?"

Hotch chuckled, "How did you know about that?"

"You didn't think you could hide it from me? Rossi and I've taught you everything you know. I know all the tricks you've been using on me."

Hotch smiled, "You saved the girl, you can feel good about that Jason."

His phone beeped as he stood and he walked to the kitchenette on the jet to answer the call.

* * *

><p>Hotch walked through the front door of his house and closed it behind him. He had received a call from Claire on the jet saying that she would be asleep by the time he would be home. It was close to ten o'clock and from the sound of it Claire's last day had consisted of everyone wanting to touch her, ask questions and wish her luck.<p>

She had sounded cranky and exhausted when she had called and Hotch didn't blame her, if that had been his day he would have cranky too. Flipping on the kitchen light he caught a note on the counter that said she had dinner in the oven for him and to put the clothes in the washer to the dryer. His mother had been right when she said the little things made the difference. Although Claire wasn't as large as some woman became when they were pregnant, she had aches and pains. Some nights he could hear her crying because the leg cramps and pains were horrible. She hadn't been able to lay on her back for months and she was experiencing insomnia more and more. Claire was a trooper about a lot of things so far but a lot of it didn't escape his notice. It was nights like this were he was extra quiet. Sleep to her was like a precious reprieve from consciousness the major discomforts she had been feeling now on a constant basis. He smiled at the thought of his son though. The kid would be a good soccer player someday, he could kick hard. Several times he'd kicked hard enough that Claire had had a bruise from it. But Claire had just laughed and said that he was active and moving, that was a good thing. She had told him when he had felt an especially hard kick that she'd rather have her son kicking her organs to hell and back then for him to not be moving at all.

Having finished the laundry and doing the single dish from dinner, Hotch walked up stairs and to the nursery. Quietly turning on the light, he took his suit jacket off and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. He was tired but he had promised himself and Claire that he would make the bed the first thing when he got back from the case. He set about putting the crib skirt on before attaching the rail bumpers and putting on the sheet and comforter.

Hotch looked around for the duck that he had bought back in June that he remembered Claire setting on the dresser.

"Are you looking for this?" she said standing in the doorway holding the stuffed animal.

Hotch smiled, "I thought you were supposed to be asleep."

Claire walked to him and shrugged, "I was but I had to go to the bathroom and I saw a light on in here. Thank you for doing the crib it looks nice."

He kissed her and wrapped her in a hug. Neither said anything but Hotch closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of just being there and holding her.

"I thought of a name while you were away." She said quietly as she pulled away and walked to put the stuffed duck inside the crib before turning back to look at him.

"Really?"

Claire smiled as he pulled her back into a hug, "You are a silly man Aaron Hotchner. I was sitting at the desk in the ER and the name popped into my head. What do you think of Jack, Jack Edward Hotchner."

Hotch remembered Gideon's advice. His son wasn't Jack the ripper, instead he was Claire's son. He was Jack Hotchner, son of Aaron and Claire Hotchner.

Jack...

"That's the name." Hotch said smiling, "We're calling him Jack."

Just as Hotch said Jack, Claire winced.

"I think he agrees. He kicked really hard and every time I say Jack he kicks."

Chuckling, he placed his hand on her tummy and gave it a soothing rub, "The jury has spoken."

* * *

><p><strong>FYI: I love reviews! Take five seconds and leave one! I love hearing what you guys think!<br>**


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello Everyone! So I'm sorry if it seems like forever since I updated! But I had to catch up one season one of Criminals Minds to kind of make the next few chapters jell together...anyway Thanks to all of you who reviewed! It means a lot to me. My Thanks are extended to: p95000, shippolove844, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, You cant rush science, Grace Adara Pendragon and my anonymous reviewer! **

**You Guys Rock! I love hearing back from everyone and I love hearing whatever you have to say about the story! It motivates me to write more knowing that there are those people out there reading it! I know the this chapter seems really, really long but I couldn't find it in me to break it up more...  
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**Moving on, All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Women say . . . that if men had to have babies there would soon be no babies in the world. . . . I have sometimes wished that some clever man would actually have a baby in some new labor-saving way; then all men could take it up, and one of the oldest taunts in the world would be stilled forever."<em>

_~Robertson Davies_

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Elle Greenaway**

_Sunday...November 2...10:30 am..._

"It the second morning after Halloween and Jack and I can't stand to see one more piece of it." Claire said as she pushed the large bag of candy toward Hotch as he sat having cereal for breakfast at the counter.

He paused mid-bite and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "What am I going to do with it and how do you know that Jack can't stand it? He might turn out to have a sweet tooth like Rossi. He and I might get a big haul next year if he's as cute as I think he will be with our good looks."

"I don't care just get rid of it and trust me when I say chocolate isn't on the menu of foods he likes. I think that you should take it with you to the BAU. God knows in your line of work chocolate could actually be helpful and besides for all you know, next year Jack could sleep right through Halloween."

She grabbed his now empty bowl and put it in the sink, "What are your plans for the day?"

"I'll take the chocolate with me then." Hotch said speaking mainly to himself and raised his eyebrows at her, "I was going to go buy some salt for the steps and drive way. Why?"

Hotch put on his causal winter coat over his zip up fleece and t-shirt.

"Just curious. I was going to go grocery shopping later and wanted to know if you wanted to join me." She said biting her lower lip.

Hotch watched her place her hand go to her back unconsciously. It was a silent plea for help in body language and he didn't need to be a profiler to know that. Claire had never been one to really show weakness and she always liked doing thing by herself but the pregnancy was throwing her into a tail spin and some things that used to be a snap weren't so easy anymore.

"Sure. What time do you want to go?" Hotch said checking his watch.

"We could go now and kill two birds with one stone. Get the salt and the groceries." She suggested.

Hotch agreed and Claire left to grab her coat and bag.

It was twenty minutes later they stopped at the local food store and walked in. Hotch was surprised to see that they remodeled inside. It had been a while since he and Claire had been there but then again Hotch hadn't done grocery shopping by himself in a long time. Claire usually did it and on special occasions she would call and ask for him to stop on the way home to get something but that almost never happened. Hotch picked items up that Claire pointed out as they went up and down the isles. Somethings were higher up then what she could reach and for some items he'd had to bend over to get them. He imagined that on another day it was probably a workout for her to just shop for basics. Hotch quietly promised himself that for the remainder of her pregnancy he would take Claire grocery shopping any and every chance he got while in town.

It was when they stopped at the bottled water section that he figured that's why he was needed the most. Whoever designed the shelves put the bottled water on the bottom shelf and was an idiot. He wondered on a regular day without the addition of Jack, how Claire managed to pick the thing up.

"We need one of the packages down there." Claire said tapping her black and pink Nike tennis-shoes, on the one she wanted.

Hotch bent down to get one and put it in the cart.

"Thank you." She said kissing his cheek.

Hotch smiled and shook his head. Sure, they could talk about the scum of the world and humanity but it was difficult for her to ask for help picking up a case of water.

Women.

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><p>Elle Greenaway was new to the area but her next door neighbor had said this was a good grocery store to shop at. So far she had found everything that she needed and the employees had been nice. She placed the bread in her cart and turned the cart around. She hadn't expected to ever see SSA Hotchner, her boss, outside of the BAU but her she was standing in front of him having smashed her cart into his. He was dressed casual in a pair of jeans, a fleece zip up, t-shirt and a winter coat. Hotchner even had tennis shoes on. It never crossed her mind that he had anything other then suits in his closet at home.<p>

"I'm sorry I didn't see you Agent Hotchner-" She started but was stopped.

"It was an accident Elle. It's fine." He said his eyes trained on someone up ahead.

A pregnant woman walked up to the cart with a smile.

"Accident I see. Did you switch cart insurance?"

It was the first time she had ever seen Hotch crack a smile.

"I did. Agent Elle Greenaway this is my wife, Claire Hotchner. Claire this is Elle Greenaway, she was the new agent I was going to tell you about but I was side tracked." Hotch said as Claire extended a hand to Elle.

"It's nice to meet you Elle." She said. The woman was beautiful and attractive even if she was pregnant. She had a pleasant warmth about her that made Elle feel comfortable instantly. She did find it funny however that Hotch even had a personal life with the amount of work that he did let alone a beautiful, pregnant wife.

"It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Hotchner." Elle replied shaking Claire's offered hand.

"Is the BAU treating you well?"

"Claire means I am being nice to you." Hotch said smiling in his wife's direction.

Claire rolled her eyes, "I mean do you like it here in Virgina and the BAU department. Ignore him right now. Aaron's itching for a fight and if he isn't careful he'll get one real soon."

Elle laughed, "I do like it here. My neighbor told me that this was the best grocery store in the area, a little bit of a drive but I like it. As for Agent Hotchner being nice, he hasn't been mean if that's what your asking."

Claire laughed, "I can imagine. It was nice meeting you Elle. I wish we could talk more but in my current predicament my feet are starting to hurt. We should get going. Be safe on the ride home, the weatherman said that there's suppose to be snow."

Elle nodded, " I will and congratulations on the baby by the way. It was nice meeting you too Mrs. Hotchner, I'll see you at work sir."

"Thank you." Claire said with a smile.

"Elle call me Hotch like everyone else. It was nice to see you too." Hotch added with a small chuckle.

Elle watched as they fell instep with each other and Claire tuck her tiny hand into the crook of Hotch's elbow as they headed for the check out. Outside of work she quietly realized that the man did have a life and a family, even a smile. He was just serious and had little to no sense of humor while he wife did. They were like yin and yang. Perfectly matched but complete contrasts of the other for what Elle could see.

The Hotchners waved by to her from the parking lot as she loaded her back seat with groceries. Elle hadn't been around many pregnant women but she figured that Hotch's wife was due soon. She waddled more then walked but Elle doubted there was really anything the woman could do about it. She also made a mental note to ask Hotch if the baby was a boy or a girl.

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><p>"It's already November 2, can you believe it? " Claire said sitting down in her pajamas next to Hotch on the couch and put her feet up on the coffee table that evening. She grabbed the quilt blanket on the back of the couch and covered herself. Hotch wrapped an arm around her and tucked her into his side.<p>

"I know, soon it will be the Superbowl." Hotch said as he turned the channel back to the game which was still on commercial break.

"I didn't mean it that way. I simply meant that Jack will be here soon and I can't wait. I feel like a little kid asking when Christmas will be." Claire replied as she rested her head on his shoulder yawning.

It was a few minutes before either one spoke again.

"You know that your dad agreed to stay with you in the event that I have to go on a case, right?" Hotch said.

He had talked about it with Rossi and both of them agreed that the farther along Claire got in the pregnancy the more she needed to have someone around. Hotch's biggest worry was an accident happening like her slipping on the ice and falling with no one there to help her. He had been grateful that so far Claire had been willing and cooperative with the plan. When he and Rossi had brought it up to her she had reluctantly agreed but didn't fight them like he thought she would.

"Do you think you'll have one this coming week?" Claire asked.

"I'm not sure yet but that was my disclaimer and FYI statement of the week so that we're on the same page."

Claire laughed, "I get it. Don't jinks yourself. I like having you come home at six everyday when you're here."

Hotch smiled. He had taken a good hard look at his life and the new addition coming into it and he quickly realize he needed to set boundaries with work. One of those boundaries was if he wasn't on a case he needed to come home everyday at the same time and be there for his wife and son. Claire would need all the help she could get soon with Jack and he needed to be there for his son too and see Jack grow. It was his mother who had called him in the evening a few months ago telling him she was stopping by at the house to see if Claire was alright and telling him that she thought that Claire was working to hard and was sick from touching sick people in the ER. It had taken a few seconds from him to realize that his mother was suggesting that he needed to step up and put his family first before work, Claire and Jack's health and wellness should have been his top priority not case files. He was grateful to his mother for her gentle push in the right direction. It was a sign to him just how far they had come in their relationship. They were rebuilding the relationship that they had lost so long ago to abuse and alcohol. He was closer to his mother then he could ever remember being and he hoped that with the arrival of Jack, his son would help strength their relationship even more.

Hotch had secured time off from work after Jack's birth. He had more unused vacation time then the whole team put together for the next two years. It was nice to finally be able to use some of that time and spend it with his son in the first few days of the boy's life. A bonus was sharing those moments with Claire.

Kissing the side of Claire's head, he gently placed his hand on her pregnant tummy as his son gave a hard kick.

"Has he been like that all day?" Hotch asked gently rubbing the area his son had just kicked his mother.

Claire winced as Jack kicked again this time in her ribs, "I don't know what's up with Jack but he has been like that today and yesterday. Last night he kicked me so hard I actually thought I was going to cry."

Hotch leaned down and kissed the top of her tummy, "Hey buddy go easy on your mom. I think she would appreciate it if you were a little more gentle."

Hotch was answered by feeling a kick harder than the others.

"I don't think he's a good listener." Claire chuckled.

"It was worth a shot." Hotch shrugged.

A cell phone rang from the kitchen and Claire looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not moving. You go get it. Remind me why we have the same ring tone?"

He chuckled and stood to get the phone. It was his.

"Hotchner...no JJ...I'll be there...about an hour...I'll be at the air strip. Tell everyone to meet there and bring the case files."

Claire walked into the kitchen with a large smile, "See I told you, you jinked yourself."

Rolling his eyes, he raised his hands in surrender, "I'm not perfect. I thought you knew that when you married me."

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I guess that means that I'm calling Dad and getting you a go-bag while you go change."

"I'll get the bag Claire. Your go sit back down, maybe that's what will help Jack to not kick you so hard. Less movement." Hotch said as he felt Jack kick again.

Claire took her phone and returned back to the living room.

It was a half hour later that Rossi pulled into his daughter's driveway and let himself into the house.

"Hi Dad!" Claire called from the living room. Her feet propped up on the coffee table and wrapped in the quilt.

"Hi sweetheart. Where's Aaron?"

"He left about twenty minutes ago. I think you might have passed him at the stop sign or something like that." Claire said as Rossi sat down on the couch next to her.

"Figures. How's my first grandson?"

"Jack has been alright, I guess. He's been really kicking hard though, like he's upset about something. He hasn't kicked this hard since Aaron and I got Chinese a few weeks back."

Rossi raised his eyebrows, "Jack? I see you finally picked out a name. Jack Hotchner. I like it, sounds like a kid I'd invite over to my house."

Claire laughed, "Of course you would dad. He's your grandson. Now shush, the Manchester United game versus Liverpool is back on."

Rossi smiled and turned his attention back to the game that was currently on television. He was grateful that Hotch had asked him to watch and help Claire. It was nice to spend it with his daughter and help her with her baby. He knew deep down he wouldn't let Aaron Hotchner make some of the same mistakes that he'd made as a parent like being distant with his child. Rossi was grateful also that Claire was the most forgiving person in the world he knew. Though he had been scarce during her childhood and such, she had still let him into her life as an adult and for that act he would try his best to be the parent that she always needed and help her with family no matter what the cost was.

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><p>Gideon stepped on the jet to see Hotch sitting down at the table with two cups of coffee.<p>

"I figured you'd be here first. JJ tell you anything about the case?" Gideon asked

"No. You?" Hotch said as Gideon sat down across from him. He slid the second coffee cup to Gideon and watch him take a gulp of it.

"Nope. Have you finally picked a name for that poor kid of yours? I can't keep calling it Baby Hotchner forever."

Hotch chuckled, "We did. I took your advice. Thank you for it again by the way. You were right. Picking his name was much easier once I stopped thinking about killers."

"And?"

"Hey guys." Reid said as he got on the plane and was followed by Morgan, JJ and Elle.

"Here's the file Hotch, Gideon." JJ said as she handed out the files to everyone to look over. The jet quickly took off and the topic of Baby Hotchner's name was soon forgotten.

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><p>Claire laid in bed trying to get comfortable. It was hard though. Jack had been kicking so much in the past hour that she was considering taking a bath at two o'clock in the morning to try and sooth her aching ribs that were being abused by her son.<p>

"Jack can you just stop please? I get it. You're upset about something but please you're kind of hurting me." Claire begged frustrated into the darkness.

Ever since Aaron had left Jack's kicking had increased and was beginning to really hurt. Before he was moving and kicking every so often but now it was like he was constantly moving and kicking. She was tempted to call Aaron but she didn't know where he was and didn't think that he would appreciate a two am call if he was on the east coast. But knowing Aaron, he was probably working and there was really nothing he could do to help her. Maybe when Jack was older and was having a hard time going to sleep he would be able to help but right now Claire was stuck.

Vanilla groaned in his sleep and shifted to rest his head on her ankle. God, she was jealous of her own dog and the fact that he could sleep. She felt like kicking him off the bed just for the satisfaction of waking him up.

Sitting up from bed and swinging her legs over the side, she stood and grabbed Aaron's robe. Making her way down the hall she peaked in on Rossi who was asleep in the guest bedroom before descending the stairs to the kitchen. The house was silent as she flipped on the light above the stove and took a glass out of the cupboard. Sipping the glass of water as she made her way back up stairs she hoped that maybe Jack would calm down and she could get some sleep. Everything hurt today from all the kicking he had been doing. She now knew how those poor punching bags felt in boxing movies.

It was almost an hour later at three that Jack finally stopped moving and kicking. It was like a miracle from God and Claire fell asleep almost instantly.

She woke up at seven to the smell of bananas. She laid in bed silently thanking God that Jack wasn't kicking or moving. It was like a blessed relief that her organs weren't being manhandled at the moment. Quickly dressing in a pair of jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt, Claire went down stairs and smiled as she saw Rossi making his famous banana pancakes.

"Morning kiddo!" he said.

"Did Maria and Marilyn send you to fatten me up more?" Claire joked with Rossi.

Both women thought that Claire was far to small to be close to 34 weeks along and every time they saw her they urged her to eat more. She had gained twenty pounds so far and her doctor thought everything was great so far and Aaron always was making sure that she was eating properly. She had to laugh to herself that even when he was a thousand miles away, he always asked if she was eating and what she had had. As long as her doctor and her husband were happy, Claire could care less what the rest of her family thought.

"Nope. I just figured that I'd make pancakes. Think of it as a Sunday morning breakfast on Monday morning instead." Rossi replied handing Claire two plates to set out on the table along with forks and knives.

"Sleep good?" Claire asked as she poured two glasses of orange juice.

"Yep. Did you?"

"Jack stopped moving at about three o'clock last night which was a relief."

Rossi shook his head as he turned the stove off and walked to the table with a plate full of pancakes. They dug in quickly and Claire gave her seal of approval on the pancakes.

"What are we doing today?" she asked after a few bites.

"I have a book signing and reading at the book store in Chapter Hills at ten for three hours and then I thought we could go out to lunch at one." Rossi replied drowning his pancakes in maple syrup.

"I think I'll tag along with you." Claire said, "I really don't feel like staying home by myself."

Rossi nodded, "We'll have to leave here by eight-thirty then. I have to be there early so they can fuss and complain to me about everything."

Claire laughed.

They finished eating and did the dishes. Rossi left to use the guest room and bathroom while Claire sat down to read the comics in the days news paper.

To her the house seemed perfectly safe and silent. If she only knew what was happening in her own home. The one place that she was meant to feel safe and secure above all else.

He smiled sinisterly as he watched her chuckle at the paper...soon...very soon...

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><p><strong>By show of hands, who's ready for Jack?<strong>

**Anyone?**

**Take five seconds and leave a review...Jack would like the gesture...and you'll meet him soon...**


	25. Chapter 25

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to everyone who reviewed including: hxchick, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Grace Adara Pendragon, p95000, You cant rush science, shippolove844, Elfsquire90 (yes it was European football. I love watching it. I'm not really a fan of US football.), i'moneinamillion and taitaliney-2049. **

**Thanks so much for all your reviews! I really enjoy hearing from each and everyone of my readers!**

**On ward, please keep in mind I'm not a doctor, only a student training to be a nurse. So please don't shoot me if I screw anything up...I did talk to a few friends who are studying to be be doctors and they gave me some advice. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo  
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><p><em>"At the moment of childbirth, every woman has the same aura of isolation, as though she were abandoned, alone." ~<em>  
><em> Boris Pasternak<em>

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Watched**

_Monday...November 3...7:30 am..._

He watched on the camera screen as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His Claire was beautiful if only she wasn't pregnant with Hotchner's child. He had been sneaking into the house and taking picture of all the baby things they had gotten. He'd even gotten them a teddy bear for Jack. The teddy bear had a camera for the eye and let him look at everything that had been happening in the nursery. He'd watched as they had picked out Jack's name and put together his crib, Hotchner paint the walls that light mint color and slowly decorate the room.

It had been fun to watch them. It had never gotten old in the four years he'd been doing it. Some stalkers got caught because they got to close physically but he had gotten smart about it. Cameras, pictures, anything that could help him get close to her electronically he used. It was funny how Aaron Hotchner dealt with serial killers and rapist but could never catch on to the fact that his wife was being stalked and watched because of him. If only he hadn't pinned a crime on his brother that he hadn't committed. Hotchner and Agent Gideon had claimed his brother to be a killer and that was a lie. It was a lie that he fully intended to catch Hotchner in and he would exact his revenge soon.

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><p>Claire sat in the back row of the seats in the bookstore as Rossi read his book but not really comprehending what he was saying. She was starting to worry. Jack hadn't moved all day, not since three o'clock that morning and it was close to one in the afternoon. Some woman talked about decreased fetal movement but she wasn't having any movement what so ever. It just wasn't like Jack.<p>

Her son had sort of developed a movement time table and a rest time table. During the day he was an active baby and moved around a lot. At night he wasn't active and calmed down but for the last two days it seemed like his kicks had been increasing and he was active almost constantly. He had always had a strong kick but it seemed like lately they had been extremely strong and hurt. Claire was trying to stay calm. If there was one thing she had learned in the ER about pregnancy it was that once mom started to panic so did baby. She took a deep breath and let it out. 'Jack's fine', had became the mantra she had been telling herself all morning. The last time she had seen Gina the doctor had said that he looked healthy and was already on the way to being a big baby. He had a strong heart beat and everything was developing like it should be. Maybe after having lunch and taking a nap Jack would start to move again.

"Ready?" Rossi said as he sat down across from Claire. She hadn't even realized that everyone had left and the signing was over.

"Yeah. How was it?"

"Remind me again why I do these things." Rossi said helping her to put her coat on.

Claire chuckled, "Because you love getting paid the money?"

Rossi didn't reply instead he and Claire waved good bye to his agent and left for lunch.

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><p>"Earth to Claire!" Rossi said said for the third time before finally catching her attention. Claire looked up at him giving him a confused look. She couldn't remember what he was saying but knew he had been talking. Jack still hadn't moved and it was getting closer to two forty-five.<p>

"I'm sorry dad. What?" worry seeping into her words.

Rossi gave her a look of concern, "What's wrong Claire? Is something up with Aaron? Did you guys have a fight because technically you're still my little girl and I can kick his ass."

Claire smiled and looked out to the window as snow began to fall. It was only the third day of November but it was bitterly cold out. Tears began forming in her eyes as it finally clicked to her that something was wrong with Jack. Babies just didn't ceases all movement for twelve hours, not active babies like Jack.

She looked back at Rossi as a tear trickled down her cheek, "I think somethings wrong dad. Jack hasn't moved since last night at three am. It close to three in the afternoon. I haven't felt him kick or anything for close to twelve hours."

Rossi reached across the table for Claire's hand and gave it a squeeze, "It's alright Claire. Babies sometimes stop moving—"

"But not like this. Jack went from kicking so hard that he let a bruise to no movement at all. He just abruptly stopped at three and I was so happy that he stopped that I didn't think anything of it. He hasn't kick or even moved once since then Dad."

The seriousness of the situation dawned on Rossi. His grandson wasn't moving and Claire was right, something was wrong. Instinctively her hand rested on her pregnant tummy as if comforting her son and keeping contact with him.

Rossi raised his hand the waiter came over. The bill was settled as quickly as possible.

"Claire why don't we go back home and we can call the doctor and see what she wants to do, okay? Everything is going to be fine Claire bear don't worry."

She nodded and they left the restaurant.

The drive home to the Hotchner house felt like hours instead on minutes to Claire. She was starting to worry about Jack. Call it motherly intuition but deep down she knew some thing was wrong with her son. She didn't let herself speculate what it could be though. Having seen enough trauma cases in the ER of a pregnancy complication that ended badly Claire knew that she didn't need to go down that path.

She would get home and call Gina Jenkins. If there was one person besides her family she would trust with her life it was Gina. The woman was one of the best doctors Claire had ever met and she would know what to do. Until then she would try to stay calm. The more she stressed and worried the more it would effect Jack and at the moment he probably didn't need it with whatever trouble he was in at the moment.

Rossi and her pulled into the driveway as the snowfall increased and the roads were becoming icy.

"Looks like the first blizzard of the year." Rossi commented as he held on to both of Claire's elbows as she walked to the side door by the garage.

"God I hope not."

Rossi chuckled, "Everything is just out of your power today isn't?"

Claire snorted in response while walking down the wide hall to the kitchen. She hung her coat on the back of a kitchen chair. It was twenty minutes later that she got off the phone with Gina and strict orders to lay down and call at seven if Jack still hadn't moved.

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><p>Claire climbed the steps and changed into a shirt of Aaron's before crawling into bed with Vanilla. Rossi had set himself up down stairs working on his laptop with his next book. She laid on her side as Vanilla situated himself at her side and rested his head on her ankle. From the look he gave her, the dog must have picked up something was wrong. Aaron had once joked that Vanilla was only loyal to her and would be for life but Claire knew that once Jack was born Vanilla would be his. Ever since she had spent that first night alone without Aaron in the house it was like Vanilla was always with her being the protector that Aaron couldn't be at the moment.<p>

Just thinking of Aaron at the moment made her want to cry. She wanted him there with her to tell her everything was going to be okay. She knew that he was miles away working on a case but irrationally she wanted to just snap her fingers and have him just show up. Claire briefly wondered if she should call him and tell him what was happening. Jack was just as much his as he was Claire's. But she decided against it. Aaron would worry and he didn't need that. He need his whole attention on the case. If he solved that first then he would be able to come home.

Looking at the nightstand, the alarm clock read five-ten. Almost an hour had passed and still Jack hadn't moved. Burying the panic rising in her chest, Claire turned her attention back to the television and the news that had just come on.

The next two hours passed in a sea of blur as Claire anxiously awaited any feeling of movement from Jack and as the clock approached seven she felt her anxiety build. Rossi's knock on the bedroom door nearly had Claire falling out of bed frightened.

"Dad! Make some more noise coming up the stairs next time!" Claire hollered as she pressed her hand to her pounding heart.

Rossi chuckled, "Sorry. I thought you heard me."

He walked over and set the tray of food across her lap. It had on it a turkey sandwich with pretzels and a glass of milk. Sitting at the foot of the bed, father and daughter silently watched the tail end of the six o'clock news.

"How's Jack?" Rossi finally asked as the channel anchor bid everyone a goodnight.

Claire shook her head and reached for her cell phone on the night stand, "Jack still hasn't moved. It's close to seven and I'm just going to call Gina."

Rossi nodded, "I'll start the car."

They both moved silently knowing that Claire would more then likely be hospitalized this evening. Rossi kept trying to come up with speeches in his head on how to tell his son-in-law that instead of returning to his house he needed to go to the hospital.

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><p>Gideon sat down next to Hotch who sat on the inside seat of the table in the jet.<p>

"You never answered my question from earlier." He said as Reid sat down next to Elle with a chess board.

"What question is that Gideon?" Hotch asked closing the file he'd been working on knowing he would be getting anymore work done for the rest of the flight. It was close to seven forty-five and he judged they be landing at the air strip in about a half hour. If he was lucky he'd be home and asleep in his bed by nine-thirty.

"Baby Hotchner's name. You were about to tell me the name you and Claire picked out right as JJ started talking and handing out files. I've been dying to know for the past day."

The whole jet's attention shifted over to Hotch who shook his head, "I feel like I'm the main attraction at the zoo."

"I didn't even know you were expecting a baby till Saturday when I ran into you at the store." Elle said, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy due December 20." Hotch supplied, his face lighting up at the thought of his son.

"Aw! How sweet a Christmas baby." JJ said smiling.

"I don't know if that sounds like a great Christmas present." Reid said, "I can't think of anyone who would want to spend their Christmas in at much pain."

"The rewards out way the pain Reid." Gideon said smiling, "How's Claire been?"

Hotch frowned and shook his head, "She's been tried and uncomfortable but she's excited. We both are."

"You know about forty percent of all women suffer complications during their pregnancy or birth." Reid supplied.

Gideon shook his head, "Kid remind me never to let you talk to expecting mothers. Don't do that, you'll panic them and that's the last thing they need."

"I think it's safe to say that so far he hasn't been a complication for Clarie." Hotch said quietly looking out the window into the night time sky, his thought turned to Jack, who was inside Claire, warm and safe.

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><p>"Sean it's Dave...Listen I have a favor I need you to do. Aaron jet should be touching down in about a half hour I need you to go and get him and bring him to Saint Mercy's Hospital in DC...No it's Claire. Jack hasn't moved in over twelve hours and the doctor's think something is wrong. I just got here and the doctor is with her now...Yeah Jack's his name...There doing some tests now. They think he may be in fetal distress and isn't getting enough oxygen or something along those lines. Just tell him that something isn't right with Jack and we're at the hospital...by the time you guys get here I'll know more and fill you guys in. I'll call him and let him know you're picking him up." Rossi said hanging up the phone.<p>

Claire was inside the patient room being examined by the doctors and he had been asked to step out. God he hated waiting. Claire had felt Jack move once in the car but it had been brief and weak. Gina had met them at the ER entrance with two nurses and a wheel chair and had already gotten a room ready for Claire. Rossi had been left to do paperwork and had been able to do most of the questions but some were personal that he didn't know but knew that Aaron would when he got there.

Gina stepped out into the hall and headed towards him.

"Dave, I just finished examining Claire. I'm really concerned that he hasn't moved but I've ordered a non-stress test for her and I want to get a scan in 3-D which can hopefully show us what's going on. If nothing else, I'm going to admit her and keep her here for a precaution. She's on a mild sedative just to relax her a little bit because I'm also worried that if her blood pressure spikes and that it may not help the baby but do the reverse. There are a lot of keep parts in this we need to be careful about and play by ear." Gina finished laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks Gina, Aaron should be here within the hour. Can I page you when he gets here? You might need to explain things to him because he's Claire's proxy and if you're going to sedate her at this point he needs to know what's going on." Rossi said.

Gina nodded, "I agree. I explained everything to Claire and she also agreed to what you're saying. Page me when he gets here."

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><p><strong>Five seconds...that's all I ask for is five seconds! Leave a review...<strong>


	26. Chapter 26

**Hello Everyone! I know everyone was so pissed that I left you all with a cliff hanger that I decided to be nice and put everyone out of their misery! **

**Special Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter including:p95000, shippolove844, i'moneinamillion, Grace Adara Pendragon (Sorry for putting you in a panic!, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, camiguin, Caitlin Tierney, starryeyes12, You cant rush science, Leigh, and my two anonymous reviews!**

_**You Guys Rock! **_

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear." ~ Mark Twain <em>

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Cords**

_Monday...November 3...8:45 PM..._

Hotch laughed again as Gideon told a story about him and Rossi getting into a fight with a drag queen stripper who had taken a liking to Rossi during one of their investigations in the early BAU.

"Between Claire being a wild teenager and Rossi attracting trouble, we always had something to laugh at."

The group laughed again as Hotch's phone rang.

"Hotchner." He said shifting back to his normal serious self.

_"Aaron it's Dave. How far are you from the air strip?" _

The seat belt warning flashed on as everyone quietly moved back to seats with belts and strapped themselves in.

"We're getting ready to land now. Why?" Hotch asked a feeling of dread seeping into him.

"_Listen to me and don't interrupt." _Rossi said in an authoritative voice, _"Sean is coming to pick you up and is going to take you to Saint Mercy's. I'm here with Claire and Jack. I can't really go into detail about what's going on. I'll let the doctor's explain but know that she's okay and Jack's okay." _

"Rossi just tell me what the hell is going on damn it." Hotch snapped causing Reid to jump.

Hotch looked emotionless and the team could tell by the tone of his voice whatever was going on wasn't good.

"_Dr. Jenkins can explain it better then I can but at the moment they're both safe Aaron. Claire is mildly sedated for the time being and they're running a battery of tests. Sean will meet you at the strip and bring you here." _

"She was fine when I left Dave. What happened?" Hotch said dreading what the answer would be. God he hoped she hadn't fallen or something like that. He rested his elbows on the table and cradled his forehead in one hand as he held the phone to his ear.

"_I don't know but Claire and him are in good hands and the right place if anything does happens. I'll see you soon...Sean just texted that he's pulling into the airstrip now." _

Hotch disconnected the call and closed his eyes. Something was wrong with his wife and son and he'd been away. He pushed the curious glances that his subordinates were giving him away from his mind as he replayed the conversation with Rossi.

Claire was at the hospital and she was mildly sedated.

A battery of tests were being done.

Something was wrong.

He hadn't even been away twenty-four hours and something had happened to his wife and son. The doctors didn't know yet what was wrong but he could imagine Claire's fear. She'd come home multiple times having seen horrific tragedies between mother and child. Somethings you couldn't erase from your memories, they both knew that. He didn't want his wife and son to be one of those sad stories that nurses talked about with pity. Hotch's mind shifted gears.

Jack, his little boy...what was wrong with him?

Was he sick? Was he suffering from some sort of issue the doctor's had missed? What was wrong?

The feeling of the jet touching down drew him back to the present. Gideon stood the moment he could knowing something wasn't right at the Hotchner/Rossi Camp. Hotch ignored the others and quickly moved towards the steps. His go-bag and brief case weren't important and someone would pick them up, probably Jason. It felt like the steps took forever to come down.

Hotch quickly descended the steps and saw Sean walking towards the jet. Neither said anything but embraced when Hotch reached him.

"Rossi called?" Sean asked as they let go of the other. He had been worried about his nephew since he had gotten the call twenty minutes ago that Claire was in the hospital.

"Yes. What the hell is going on Sean. Rossi said that Claire was admitted but nothing else." Hotch said as he climbed into the Jeep that Sean had driven to the air strip.

"Something's wrong with Jack." Sean said quietly as he turned the car around and left the air field.

Sean didn't say anything. He couldn't imagine what must be going through his brother's mind. He was worried about Jack and Jack wasn't even his own son. How Aaron managed to stay so calm he had no idea.

Truth was, Aaron was silently panicking. The drive to the hospital felt like a lifetime instead of twenty minutes. It was the only time he would let himself panic Hotch told himself. Once he got to St. Mercy's he needed to be there for Claire. He couldn't be worked up when he saw her. She needed him to be there for her emotionally and physically sound.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot and parked. It was a silent walk into the hospital. The reached the information desk on the main floor of the hospital.

"Can I help you?" The woman smiled pleasantly at Hotch.

"I'm looking for my wife, Claire Hotchner. Do you know what floor she's on?" Hotch asked feeling like snapping at the woman for being far too happy.

"Hang on a second." She said as she picked up a folder and opened it. She began to look through papers before smiling up at him, "I have a Clarissa Elizabeth Hotchner in the record is that who you're looking for?"

"Yes, what floor?" Hotch asked again trying his hardest to be polite to the woman.

"She's on the fifth floor, sir."

Hotch thanked her and he and Sean walked to the elevator. Sean was more like jogged to keep up with Hotch's large steps as he walked across the atrium.

The elevator ride up was quick and when the door opened they instantly spotted Rossi sitting in a plastic chair in the waiting room.

"Dave." Hotch said walking to his father-in-law and they hugged.

"Aaron, Gina will be here in a second. She just stepped into Claire's room. There hasn't been any new information but Gina said that the sedation will wear off in the hour." Rossi said hugging his son-in-law, "I don't know much so I'll let her explain."

"Can you at least tell me how she got here?" Hotch asked as the three men sat down again.

"I came over when you called and Claire said that I had missed you by minutes. She said that Jack had been kicking really hard lately like he was upset about something. She said that she was up till three am because he was kicking so hard. At three o'clock this afternoon she told me at lunch that Jack still hadn't moved and she was concerned. We went home and called Gina and she said that if Jack hadn't moved by seven to call her again. We called her at seven and she told us to come here to Mercy. They admitted Claire at eight and they've been coming in and out of her room since." Rossi said quietly.

Hotch ran his fingers through his short black hair and let out the breath that he'd been holding.

"Did they say what they think the problem might be?" Sean asked.

"They're not sure—" Rossi started as Gina approached the group of men.

"Dave, Aaron." She shook each man's hand, "I'm Doctor Jenkins. You must be Sean Hotchner, pleasure."

"Can you fill them in Gina and then explain what's happening?" Rossi asked quickly.

"I just checked in on Claire and she's waking up a little. The baby still hasn't really moved much and we're going to move on to a non-stress test now. I was hoping that by giving her a mild sedative it might have helped her to relax and Jack too but it didn't. He did move once but that was it. I'm going to keep her here till we know exactly what's going on because I think he's in fetal distress. The test will show what's happening to Jack when he moves and from their we can move on and figure out what we do next. Annie will be in to set up the test in a few minutes." Gina said taking a breath before she turned to Hotch, "Aaron, if you want to sit with her during the test you can. I think it may help if she's with someone and not alone. I need to go talk to another doctor about this and see what he thinks but I think that Jack is wrapped up in his umbilical cord and it's twisted or something and he's losing oxygen because of it. I explained this to Claire but right now we need to just concentrate on getting this test done then worry later. I'll be back soon. Aaron you can go in and see her."

Gina moved away to the nurses station and left the three men alone standing in the middle of the maternity ward waiting room. They were all dressed in suits and had dark trench coats on. Any other day, Rossi would have made a crack about how they were being stared at by the families and the nurses alike but the gravity of the situation wore heavily on each of them.

"I'll go call mom and fill her in." Sean said breaking the silence, taking out his cell phone preparing to move towards the elevator.

"I'll join you Sean. I haven't had anything to eat since lunch at two and I need to call Maria to tell what's going on." Rossi said following the young man.

Hotch watched them leave before walking down the hall to the nurses' station and asking for Claire's room. The elderly nurse stood and walked down the hall with him to the last door on the left and gave him a small smile before returning back down the hall.

The door was cracked and Hotch could hear beeps coming from inside. He gently pushed back the door which made no noise. Closing it behind him, he stepped into the semi-dark room. A large window was opposite the door and was illuminating the room by letting in the light of DC night traffic and the lights of the city as well. There was an overhead light above Claire's bed also providing light. The walls were white and a plastic chair sat next to the bed.

Pulling the plastic chair closer to the side of Claire's bed, Hotch sat down and watched her sleep. Claire rested on her side, one hand tucked under her chin and the other rested over Jack. She looked peaceful and like she was actually getting sleep for the first time in a while. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes flickered open and she gave him a small smile.

"This is a nice surprise to wake up to." She whispered.

"It isn't a surprise at all. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be." Hotch said gently running his fingers through her hair.

Claire closed her eyes and relaxed as Hotch continued to touch her hair.

"I love you." Claire whispered to him.

Hotch leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss to Claire's temple, "I love you too, both of you."

She gave him a small smile and jumped slightly as a nurse knocked on the door. Annie entered followed by Gina who explained the process of the test and the how it worked. After situating the patient and everything that was needed, they started the test and left.

Claire lay flat on her side facing him and lowered the guard rail by her head to look at him better. The steady beeps of the machine faded into the background as Hotch looked at her and smiled.

He remembered Gina's advice: distract.

And that's what he did. They talked about little things that wouldn't upset her like the dog needing a bath or how the garage would need to be cleaned out in the spring or summertime. Hotch told her about Gideon's story on the jet and how everyone wished her well. Hotch even recounted an embarrassing moment from high school that involved a plunger, his algebra teacher and the girl he had a crush on back in tenth grade. He managed to drag a few laughs out of Claire and the sound warmed his heart and insides. His discomfort at having to relive the memory was well worth the reward of knowing that she was relaxed as she could be and his son could hear his mother's laughter.

The hour during the test passed quietly and Hotch felt like it was the first time in a long time that he and Claire had just talked about nothing that was pressing or needed. There were moments where he didn't even have to talk. Words weren't needed to convey to Clarie how he felt about her. Them being together for the moment was enough. Claire had even felt Jack move twice during the test and had nearly cried. It had been a small miracle to feel Jack move and to know that he was still there with them somehow and someway.

Annie came back after the hour was finished and detached Claire from the electrodes that had recorded the test and left quickly.

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><p>Hotch sat in the waiting room as they did the scan in Claire's room. Gina hadn't come back smiling to them and reassuring. She had looked concerned and worried. When he had been asked to sit in the waiting room for the scan dread had filled him. What could be so wrong with Jack that he wasn't allowed in to watch?<p>

He smelt his mother's perfume before she sat down next to him pressing and hot cup of coffee into his hands.

"How are you feeling Aaron? It's been a busy night." She said quietly.

He didn't reply but took a gulp of the hot coffee. The burn of it down his throat hurt but it was something to feel other than fear and worry. Marilyn's hand rubbed a soothing circle between his shoulder blades as he closed his eyes.

"I feel helpless Mom." He said quietly after gathering courage to tell his mother how he felt. Contrary to what many thought in the Bureau he did have feelings and could express them somewhat well, he just didn't do it at work but if he was with his family he would. Granted he was fantastic at it.

If there was one person who understood how he felt, it was his own mother. She knew how he felt better then anyone. Sometimes she could just look at him and know how he felt.

"I know and it's the worst feeling in the world when there's nothing you can do. But think about it this way, Claire's here and the staff here can help the both of them if anything happens. Besides, we might all meet Jack this morning if it comes to that." Marilyn said with a smile.

"Now that's a scary thought. I'm not sure I'm just quite ready for Jack to actually be here."

She chuckled, "Oh Aaron, when you see him everything will be fine. A woman becomes ready to be a mother when she finds out she's pregnant, men don't become fathers till they actually met their child. When you and Jack meet you'll feel something you've never felt before. I promise you."

"And what will that be exactly?" Hotch asked quietly.

"Love." Marilyn said giving her son a one armed hug, "When you look at Jack you'll figure out the meaning of love at first sight."

She kissed his head as she stood and threw out her empty coffee cup.

"Aaron? Mrs. Hotchner?" Gina said walking to them with a form, "I've concluded the tests and talked to Doctor Harris, a colleague of mine and we both agree that Claire needs an emergency c-section, like now."

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><p><strong>I'm ducking the angry darts right now...if you leave lots of reviews, I promise to update tomorrow! <strong>

**It only takes five seconds to leave a review! I know that y'all can do it...**

**Besides...I promise Jack next Chapter...  
><strong>


	27. Chapter 27

**Hello Everyone! **

**Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed including: Caitlin Tierney, Grace Adara Pendragon, p95000, hxchick, i'moneinamillion, shippolove844, You cant rush science, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 and my anoymous viewer! You are all amazing! **

**I promise this doesn't end in a cliff hanger! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." ~Robert Heinlein<em>

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Jack**

_Monday...November 3...11:35 pm..._

"Jack's wrapped up in his umbilical cord. It's wrapped tightly around his neck and it's cutting of oxygen and blood. On the non-stress test we saw that when he moved his heart rate dropped extremely low. His heart rate is dropping quickly and he won't make it as a full term baby. Doctor Harris and I discussed it and we'd rather not take a chance of him being in more danger with the cord around his neck any longer then is possible. At thirty-four weeks we think that he'll be fine. He may need to be put in the NICU and have some assistance breathing but he will be just fine. Since we've already started Claire on the pain killers, we need you to sign these forms Aaron. They're for both Jack and Claire." Gina said handing him the forms.

Hotch glanced at them before quickly sighing his name and handed them back to Gina. She gave him a sad smile, "I'm sorry Aaron, but Doctor Harris and I both think that you should wait here. We're going to completely sedate Claire. There is a possibility that Jack may have some complications and we need both of you to be prepared for that. We're not sure how tight the cord is and Jack may not be breathing on his own right away. Annie has been assigned the task of keeping you updated. I'm sorry but this is procedure and this is how we need to do it. You can talk to Claire for a little bit before she's completely out though. Follow me."

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><p>Claire blinked again. She knew that Gina had given her a cocktail of some Meds and she was feeling that woozy feeling of falling asleep. Kind of liking being there but not really there and half asleep. She heard the door open and saw her husband's figure move towards her but she struggled to keep her eyes open. She heard the door shut and felt him kiss her forehead.<p>

"Hey sleepyhead," he said with a smile, "How do you feel?"

Claire smiled half a smile, "Like whatever they gave me is working."

Hotch chuckled, "Are you excited at least?"

Claire nodded and closed her eyes again feeling another wave of tiredness hit her.

"I'll see you when you wake up." Hotch whispered to her as she fought sleep.

"No, please stay with Jack or at least be close by. I want one of us with him. Promise Aaron?" Claire slurred as a knock at the door signaled the arrival of the nurse to get Claire.

"I promise." he whispered as he kissed her lips on last time and stepped away from the bed as the nurse began to unhook various lines from Claire and the machines. A second nurse showed up and politely asked him to return to the waiting room. He complied and retreated. The two nurses pushed her down the hall but turned left before they hit the waiting room. Hotch sat down in a plastic chair and glanced at his watch.

11:46.

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><p>The nurse hadn't come with any news and it had been over an hour. He was becoming a nervous wreck. Sean was asleep with both Maria and Rossi on either side of him using his shoulders for pillows. Marilyn had taken a picture of it earlier and had called it blackmail for later. They sat opposite the sleeping trio waiting.<p>

He was scared, silently panicking, and nervous. God, he wasn't ready to be a father. Jack was going to look at him to set an example and he didn't really have a good example to set with his parental figure being who it was. Aaron knew he would never physically hurt his son; Claire would kill him first before he did that. He was sure.

But the part that scared him most was the fact that Jack would depend on him and Claire completely for most of his life. What if he messed up? What if something happened and he couldn't protect his own son from harm? What if Jack became one those children he saw in case files? Beaten, molested, strangled, murdered. What if that happened to Jack? Aaron Hotchner knew deep down that if that ever happened to his son he would never forgive himself, no matter how many people would tell him it wasn't his fault.

It was in that moment he promised himself he would do his hardest to keep his wife and son safe from the monsters. He would preserve his son's innocence about the horrors of the world as long as he could. Even with that promise he was still of afraid of failing as a parent.

"Aaron everything is going to be fine. Stop worrying." Marilyn Hotchner told her son, not looking up from her knitting.

"I'm not worrying." Hotch quickly denied.

Marilyn raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You and Sean have the same facial expression when you worry. You both look like your at a funeral."

Hotch turned and looked at his mother who chuckled again, "Claire pointed it out to me once. I wonder if Jack will have the same trait."

"One can only guess."

"Oh Aaron this is exciting! Underneath all this drama you're finally going to meet Jack! I'm so happy for you. There was a point that I thought after Haley you would never get married and have children but I'm so happy that you're proving me wrong." Marilyn said with a large smile.

Hotch leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, "I thought I'd have at least another month to mentally prepare myself for this. Mom, I think you jinxed it."

She chuckled, "Babies are hard to predict Aaron. I can safely tell you that no one woke up on November third think that it would be the day that Jack Hotchner would make his grand showing, Claire least of all. Besides if you're blood pressure is rising a little it's only going to get worse over time. Just wait till Jack is learning how to ride a bike or is old enough to do things like going for a walk on his own, that's when nerves really get kicking."

They sat in silence and Hotch looked at his watch again.

12:58.

God, how long did it take to have a c-section?

"Claire told me to go see him first before I go and see her. I feel like I should wait for her though."

His mother shook her head, "Aaron she's sending you to do her work for her. My guess is that Claire has two motives. One, she wants you to meet your son and two, she wants you to report back to her later if she can't see him right away. She's going to milk you for what your worth. I did the same thing to your uncle when Sean was born. They wouldn't let me see him right away so I sent your uncle instead and quizzed him about every single detail."

It was Hotch's turn to chuckle, "That sounds more like Claire. Will you come with me mom?"

"Huh?" Marilyn asked confused, missing a stitch.

"Will you go with me when I go to see Jack? I don't really want to do it on my own." Hotch said nervously, "I would at least like someone there with me."

She put her knitting away and hugged Hotch, "Aaron I would be thrilled to have the privilege of meeting Jack with you."

Hotch gave her a dimpled smile, "Thanks Mom."

"Now I can't sit still." Marilyn said as Hotch watched Gina approach them over Marilyn's head.

He stood instantly as Gina reached out a hand to shake, "They're both wonderful. Claire's in recovery and they'll have her up here soon. She'll be out of it a little and will probably be asleep for the next few hours but everything worked out beautifully. Jack's has his own private room in the nursery because of needing to be on oxygen support but he'll be out of here by in about a week, may be less. He's a beautiful baby Aaron! Annie will take you to go see him."

Hotch nodded and thanked Gina as she moved away to go see other patients.

He didn't bother to wake up the sleeping trio he was too busy thinking about Jack. His son was here in the world. Living and breathing. He felt excitement pump through his veins as Annie came and escorted them to the nursery. Marilyn gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and they followed Annie. They walked down the hall towards the large glass panel that separated the newborn babies from the rest of the world.

Annie walked them down a hall full of sliding glass doors. Jack's door was the second to last one on the right. As Annie slid the door opened Hotch felt his heart rise into his throat. Another nurse stood over Jack who was crying in the small room.

"He's a beautiful baby Mr. Hotchner congratulations!" Annie said cheerfully as she slide the door closed behind him and Marilyn.

Hotch slowly walked over to the nurse as she smiled at him, "I was just checking his vitals. Everything looks good. He weighs 5 pounds 4 ounces and is 19 inches long. His birth time is 12:35 am on November 4."

His son continued to cry. The incubator that held him was closed but there were two holes on each side for a person's hands to go through. A breathing tube was beneath his son's nose and a few electrodes rested on various parts of his chest.

The sight of Jack was breath taking and he felt an overwhelming feeling of love. He was so small with blankets around him and a hospital wrist band around one ankle. He had midnight black hair that was in wisps' on his tiny head. Jack squirmed a little and cried as the nurse continued to try and draw blood. It was already a heart breaking sound to him knowing his son was upset about being stabbed with a needle.

Hotch gently put his hand inside the incubator and rested his hand at the top of Jack's head. His son's hair was soft and smooth. Gently running his thumb back and forth on the baby's head, Jack began to calm down. His body began to relax and it was like a pull of strength from father to son. Jack knew who he was and knew that Aaron would never let harm come to him while he was there.

"Hi buddy." he said quietly. Jack stopped squirming and looked up at him.

He felt like he was looking into Claire's eyes and he hoped they stayed blue. Long dark lashes encased Jack's blue eyes which had begun to stop crying, tears were still falling down his cheeks though. Reaching in with his other hand, Aaron ran the back of his index finger against Jack's knuckles. It was the tiniest hand he'd ever seen. When Jack reached out to take hold of his finger, Aaron Hotchner knew what his mother meant earlier. His son's hand held his as the nurse continued to check his vitals like a life line. He didn't think someone that small could be that strong. It was incredible to think that in a single act of love he and Claire had created someone so perfect. There were no words to describe how he felt as Jack held on to him and blinked up at him. All he felt was a surge of emotions flow through him as Jack's blue eyes met his. They looked at each other for a few minutes before Jack's eyes fluttered shut and he relaxed his grip on his father's finger. The nurse took her hands out of the incubator and smiled.

"Does he have a name yet?" she asked quietly as the only noise became the beeping of the machines in the room.

"Jack. His name is Jack Hotchner." Hotch said quietly to the nurse never taking eyes off of his sleeping son.

"Jack is perfect. He'll be a good patient while he's here. I can tell. Congratulations again on the birth of your son Mr. Hotchner."

She smiled to Marilyn and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

He didn't even register his mother's presence until she walked to stand where the nurse had been.

"He's so small but adorable. I think Jack looks just like you when you were a baby. He definitely has your hair." She said quietly to him.

Hotch felt tears in the back of his eyes. This was Jack, his little boy, asleep in his incubator not even an hour old yet. He smiled at his mother who returned a watery smile back at him as she moved to give him a hug.

"You'll be a fantastic father Aaron. I love you so much and I'm so proud of you." She whispered. Hotch felt a single tear make its way down his cheek, "Thanks mom."

"I'll go wake up Dave, Maria and Sean." Marilyn said walking out of the room.

It was his first moment alone with his son. He strangely wasn't afraid, nervous or anything. A feeling of wholeness settled inside him as if he had unknowingly been walking around the earth empty and unfeeling. Still holding his son's tiny hand, he reached into his pocket for his phone. He took a picture of his son and saved it.

His son was perfect and he couldn't wait for him to meet his mother. Jack would steal his mother's heart away just like he had done with Hotch's already.

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><p><strong>I couldn't resist making it extra sappy...sorry...anyway, I wanna know what you think of Jack! Send some reviews over and I'll update again like lightening fast...<strong>


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to all who reviewed!**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"The world always looks Chapter Twbrighter from behind a smile." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Twenty-Eight: Meeting Jack**

_Tuesday…November 4…7:06 am…_

The sun was coming up as Aaron sat down on the edge of Claire's hospital bed. She had woken up briefly before when Rossi had been sitting with her but it was only to ask for more painkillers. That had been around three am and she hadn't stirred since. Jack, once he had fallen asleep had stayed asleep and everyone wanted to sit with him and look at him. Even the nurses took turns looking in on him. Everyone he met was wrapped around his little finger.

Tucking a strand of hair behind Claire's ears he smiled at her. She looked like an angel sleeping. The diamond studs she always wore were in her ears as if nothing had happened. The bed was positioned so she slept more in a sitting up position then a laying down one. Shifting a little in her sleep, Claire's hand found his and squeezed.

"Where's Jack?" she asked a few minutes later as her sleepy blue eyes met his.

He gave her a large smile, "I'm assuming he's asleep."

Claire gave a small moan and closed her eyes again. Hotch smiled.

She hadn't quite registered what he said. It was a few moments later when her eyes burst open that he chuckled.

"I thought you would stay with him Aaron. You promised." Claire said trying to sit up and use her hands despite the many IV lines she had in her arms, managed to raise the bed.

He gently held her shoulders down as she tried to sit up. Claire stilled and glared at him, clearly displeased with him. Hotch cupped her cheeks and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

She returned the kiss, holding onto his hands for support. The kiss deepened and Hotch found that he couldn't pull away from her. Eventually they both pulled away from oxygen, both breathing hard.

The monitor that read Claire's pulse beeped and Hotch looked up. Her heart rate accelerated and he chuckled.

"Does it always to that when I kiss you?" he teased.

"Yes, it always has and always will when you touch me." Claire said blushing and smiling at him.

She tried to scoot over but winced.

"Hey watch it," he reprimanded gently, "Claire you just had a major surgery, not to mention a baby. Be careful not to tear anything."

"Aaron just lay down with me please." She yawned.

Hotch complied and laid down he next to her slowly wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she attempted to snuggle close to him as best she could. He kissed the top of her head once they were comfortable. They laid there for a few minutes as Aaron finally felt the adrenaline from the day wearing off. Laying down he felt his eyes slowly close and his body begin to relax in the hospital bed.

"What does he look like?" Claire's soft voice drifted to him.

Marilyn's words about how Claire would want answers about Jack came rushing back to him. Opening his eyes he looked down at Claire's still neatly braided hair which rested against his shoulder.

"He's cute and quiet. According to the nurse, he's not very fussy at all." Hotch said quietly.

"Jack must get all that control from your side of the family. Physically, Aaron what does he look like?" Claire asked again yawning.

"He has midnight black hair like mine and he has blue eyes like every baby does. Maria and my mom hope that the blue eyes stay. His skin is extra soft and he weighs 5 pounds 6 ounces and is 19 inches long. His birthday is November 4. Jack is tiny and he could probably fit in my hands. He's has long lashes that cover his cheeks when he closes his eyes. My mom said he looks just like Sean and I when we were babies. He's beautiful Claire and I can't wait for you to meet him. He's stealing everyone's heart just like you stole mine. I didn't think it was possible to love someone as much as I love you but you've proved me wrong and I'm glad." Hotch said trying not to keep his emotions in check.

"He sounds perfect." Claire whispered tearfully, "When can I see him?"

Her eagerness to see her child was in a way heartbreaking. Jack had been alive more than six hours and had yet to meet his mother. Claire had yet to see the child that she had carried within her and nurtured for eight and a half months whereas he had been able to see Jack within less than an hour of him being born.

Sitting up slowly, Hotch swung his legs off the bed and stood.

"Let me go talk to the nurse."

* * *

><p>It was close to ten o'clock in the morning and Claire held on to the crook of his elbow tightly as the nurse next to her pushed her IV equipment still attached to her arms.<p>

Annie had come and cleared Claire getting up and out of bed to see Jack after having checked her dressings and making Claire eat a light breakfast. He had helped Claire change into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a large baggie t-shirt of his with slippers before they left the hospital room. The nurse had warned him to walk slowly because of the stitches and the fact that Claire could possibly be experiencing abdominal pain. Hotch was walking as slow as he could and each time Claire squeezed the inside of his arm he stopped.

Gina had explained to him earlier when Claire had been eating her breakfast that every woman was different. Some women were the types where give them a week and they'd be doing cartwheels right after giving birth. Other woman often times took weeks, sometimes months to heal and truly feel like themselves again. He needed to be slow with Claire and help her every way he could. He had asked Maria to go back to their house and pick up a change of clothes for Claire and him as well as a going home outfit for Jack. She had been more than thrilled to get to pick out the outfit.

According to the doctors in the NICU, Jack was improving every hour and would probably be able to go home on Friday or Saturday. It was a relief to hear that Jack would be going home sooner than expected. Hearing the doctors say it wasn't as bad as they thought it was originally was a relief too.

He could feel Claire's excitement radiating off of her as they approached the sliding glass door to Jack's room. She was squeezing the inside of his are not because of pain but because of excitement.

Rossi was standing over the incubator with his hand inside quietly talking to Jack.

"Ah and look who's here my little grandson, your mamma."

"Mrs. Hotchner, if you sit down in the rocking chair you can hold and feed him." Annie said quietly while signaling to the nurse's station for a nurse to come.

Hotch helped Claire to sit and he could tell she was still incredible sore and tired just from looking at her, but the excitement in her eyes at the prospect of seeing Jack brought a smile to his face. Rossi stepped out into the hall and said that he was calling Maria to see what she was doing while a second nurse and Annie began to work on freeing Jack from his incubator.

"I need to step out and make a call." Hotch said quietly as he crouched down in front of Claire, whose eyes were fixed on Annie's back. She nodded and didn't even look at him.

Hotch chuckled as he stepped out of the room. Her priority was seeing Jack and nothing was going to deter her from that.

* * *

><p>Jason Gideon sat quietly in the conference room as the team debated the best way to handle the case they were currently on. Morgan and Greenaway were debating between going public or not going public with the details of the case.<p>

"If we go public with the case it could trigger copy-cats and then we'll have our hands full." Morgan said.

"Or it could help us locate who this guy is faster before he kills another woman." Greenaway shot back.

The conference room phone rang and Gideon leaned forward and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"_Jason it's Aaron, got a minute?" _

Gideon leaned back in his chair and the look of concern on his face silenced the team, "Yeah I do. Is everything alright?"

"_I'm leaving you in charge of the BAU for the next three weeks." _Hotch said, _"I'm going to take some time off."_

"Did Claire have the baby?" Gideon asked quickly as everyone honed in on the conversation.

"_Yeah, she had an emergency c-section but both she and Jack are fine." _

"I thought she wasn't due till December. What happened?"

"_Jack's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he stopped moving. The doctors felt it would be better to have him be six weeks early rather than risk him being hypoxic." _

"Well that's good. He's healthy and everything?" Jason asked with a smile.

"_He's tiny at five pounds six ounces but yeah he's doing well. He was born at twelve thirty-five this morning so he's only what, eleven hours old? The doctors are confident that he'll be home by Sunday and that's a relief considering how much worse things could have been." _

"That's a blessing. I like the name Jack by the way. It goes good with the name Hotchner."

"_Thanks, I'll pass on your compliments. Anyways, I'll see you in three weeks. Till then keep the team in line."_ Hotch said jokingly.

"Will do Hotch. Enjoy your time with your wife and son. Bye." Gideon said disconnecting the call.

Everyone looked at him expectantly waiting for him to share the news.

"Jack Hotchner was born at twelve-thirty this morning via emergency c-section. Hotch is taking some time off. JJ what were you saying about our unsub before we were interrupted?"

* * *

><p>He watched as Hotchner kneeled down next to the rocking chair in Baby Jack's room and smiled. The baby was quite handsome and sweet. Jack looked just like his father and he felt sick at the thought of a mini Aaron Hotchner walking around. He wanted to suck the life out of that baby. Maybe drown it in a bath tub or cover his face with a pill and watch the baby go limp.<p>

He clentched his fist and bit his lip. He had to be smart about this if everything was going to work out perfectly. He was going to hit Aaron Hotchner right where it hurt if it was the last thing he ever did.

* * *

><p><strong>You didn't think our friendly stalker would miss out on a wonderful moment like this? <strong>

**Leave a review and tell me what you think...I'll update faster...promise!**

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	29. Chapter 29

**Hello Everyone! So Thanks to my reviewers including i'moneinamillion, Grace Adara Potter, shippolove844, taitaliney-2049, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 and You cant rush science!**

**You guys rock! Please everyone, keep the updates coming! I love hearing what you all think!**

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* * *

><p><em>"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."<em>

_ ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson_

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Thanksgiving Parties**

_Sunday… Late November…7:25 pm… _

Hotch pulled into Rossi's driveway and parked the car. Claire smiled at him and looked over her shoulder.

"He's fallen asleep and now everyone is going to want to hold him and wake him up." She said softly.

"I'm sure that they won't wake him up right away." Hotch replied giving her hand a squeeze before opening the car door. In the three weeks since his son's birth, Aaron had come to learn two things. First, his son slept like a log and once he was asleep it took a train to wake him up and second, Jack had the most laid back personality ever. Granted the kid was only three weeks old but Jack wasn't fussy like other babies that Hotch had seen. Once Jack got what he wanted he was content and usually went back to sleep. It was a blessing especially at night when he was hungry. They had already gotten a routine down with Jack and the three Hotchner's were quite happy with it.

Opening the door behind the driver's, Hotch used his body to block the frigid winter air from hitting his little boy. As he took the large fleece blanket that Sofia had given them at Claire's shower to cover up the front of baby carrier, Jack's blue eyes blinked up sleepily at him.

"Hi buddy. Did you sleep well?" Aaron asked softly. He felt silly at first talking to Jack knowing that he couldn't reply to him yet but it had become something so natural that he just did it. Besides, Jack had many facial expressions that he made and it was cute to see how he would respond.

Jack closed his eyes again as Hotch cover the exposed front and picked the carrier up out of the back of the Escape. They walked to the door and Claire knocked. Maria was the first to greet them as Rossi, Sean and Marilyn quickly joined them on the foray wanting to see Jack and to know how he was doing. Once coats had been taken off and everyone had settled into the family room next to the kitchen and dining room, Claire and Hotch reluctantly took Jack out of his carrier.

Maria had told them that she had set up Claire's old bassinet and rocking chair in a guest bedroom up stairs for Jack as he had become crankier as the evening passed. It was after dinner that Claire announced she was taking Jack upstairs to put him to sleep and that he needed to be left alone by his doting Grandparents.

Hotch watched as she moved out of sight hugging Jack to her chest as he already showed signs of falling asleep.

"How's life with Jack been?" Sean asked quietly next to him as Maria announced the types of pies she had for dinner.

"He sleeps quite a bit but it's normal, he was born a little bit early after all. Jack's pretty mellow."

Sean chuckled, "He's certainly seems like you though. He could only tolerate so much touchy feely people before he snapped."

"He was asleep though and was woken up to be manhandled. I'd be pretty pissed too if I were him. Think about it, Jack was all warm and snuggled in his carrier then we brought him out and he got exposed to everyone." Hotch said chuckling as he shook his head at his brother.

"Alright I get it. Don't compare the two of you but he sure as hell looks and seems just like you. He's already got the famous Hotchner control."

It was Hotch's turn to chuckle again, "He's not even a month old yet Sean."

"Well I think he's a cute kid who's gonna break a lot of hearts as a teenager." Marilyn pitched in as she set a piece of French Silk pie down in front of Sean.

"Amen to that." Rossi said sitting down across from Aaron and Sean, "How's he been with Vanilla?"

"The dog sleeps in front of his crib. I think I'm relieved to have some foot room in bed but Claire is afraid of stepping on the dog's tail at night." Hotch said as Maria walked in carrying two pies.

"Aaron would you go check on Claire and see if she wants any pie before Sean and Dave eat it all."

Hotch nodded and stood walking out of the dining room as Maria took his place.

* * *

><p>Hotch found Claire in the guest room that he had used to clean up the night he had proposed. The desk had been moved and the bassinet stood in its place. A rocking chair was positioned to look out the window and he watched as Claire quietly rocked Jack to sleep. She had changed him into a onesie and he was wrapped up in a light blue blanket.<p>

"Is everything okay up here? Maria sent me to see if you wanted any pie." he whispered as he crouched down beside the rocking chair. He looked at Jack and smiled softly at his son as he sucked on his pacifier.

Jack was almost asleep; his eyes would open for a little bit then close before opening again.

"No thank you on the pie. As for everything going okay, Jack was not pleased with being changed or anything tonight it seems." Claire said quietly as she continued to rock him back and forth, "He doesn't even want to fall asleep tonight. He was more content on voicing his displeasure with me from earlier."

"Do you want me to rock him for a while?" Hotch asked gently as he touched his son's blanket covered feet.

Claire gave him a smile, "Sure. I have to go to the bathroom anyway. Maybe he'll sleep for you."

She stood and gently passed him Jack before kissing his head and walking out of the room quickly. Hotch resided the urge to chuckle but sat down in the rocking chair with Jack.

"Hi buddy," he said softly as he tucked the blanket back around Jack's arms, "I know you've had a big day but I think you'd better go to sleep. Tomorrow will be your first time at home with just mommy and I'll be going back to work."

Jack blinked at him again as he stopped sucking on the pacifier. Tomorrow would be hard for both him and Jack. He'd become used to being the one to settle Jack down for his afternoon nap and doing a little work in the dining room while both Claire and Jack slept upstairs. It would be strange tomorrow afternoon to work at his desk and not have Jack's monitor next to him as he listened to his son's gentle breathing as he slept.

"I'm gonna miss you and your mom a lot. I don't know how I'm going to travel and not be able to see you for periods at a time. The last three weeks have been nice just being with you and mommy."

It was almost as if Jack understood him as he reached out to fist Aaron's shirt.

He watched as Jack's eyes finally closed and his son fell asleep. Hotch didn't stop rocking him.

He sat there memorizing every piece of his son from his small fist holding his dress shirt to small toes that were peeking out from beneath the blanket. Tomorrow would be hard, but he knew that Jack would be fine with Claire. The thought of anything happening to them both was terrifying. Part of him wanted to go back to work and catch the bad guys but the other half wanted to stay with his family and keep them safe.

But deep down, Aaron Hotchner knew he was good at catching the bad guys. Maybe it was because he needed to be the one person that people could rely on the best or maybe it was because he was so used to protecting people from all the times as a teenager when he would take his father's abuse to protect his mother and Sean that it was just a part of him now.

Whatever the reason, Aaron Hotchner knew he'd keep catching the bad guys till the day he died and having Jack and Claire there to be his guiding light back to home where he knew he could find love and joy would be what kept him sane and believing in the goodness of the world.

He kissed his son's small hand as he gently pried it from his shirt and stood. Gently placing Jack in the bassinet, he kissed his son's small head as he wrapped him up in the blanket making sure he was warm enough. Jack's eyes popped open and looked up at him.

Aaron stood above Jack and rested his large hand on his son's chest and rubbed it gently. Jack made a noise but closed his eyes and quietly went back to sleep.

Claire's arms wrapped around his waist and she pressed the side of her face into his back.

"I love you." She said quietly.

"I love you too. You know that tomorrow you can call me if you need anything at all." Hotch replied as he turned to pull her into a hug.

"I know. I'm just going to miss you being around the house. I know things at work with be different with you going back as the official Unit Chief which by the way I'm very proud of you for achieving, but you'll always have me and Jack and a family who loves us very much. Don't worry." She said quietly kissing his cheeks, "Besides, I know Vanilla has been itching to play guard dog again since you've taken over his role a little bit."

Hotch smiled and kissed her. Claire always knew the right thing to say to him. She wouldn't let their family fall apart because of his work and she always was honest about things. She'd tell him if he was drifting away or screwing up as a husband or a father. She'd be frank and maybe a little mean about it but she would do it because she loved him.

"I know. Poor dog is close to seven years old and is deaf in one ear, but he makes a good dog that's for sure."

Claire smiled at him before kissing away his fears again.

It was her specialty.

* * *

><p>It was a little bit after eight when Aaron Hotchner arrived at work and unlocked his office door. It had been a quiet drive to work and it had been surprisingly quiet that morning when he had left home. He and Claire had both been up at six o'clock because of work and Jack.<p>

His son it seemed was always hungry at six am on the dot. So while he had showered and dressed for the day, Claire had taken care of Jack and after both of them returned to sleep. Before leaving he had woken Claire up briefly to extract a promise that she would call him at noon and kissed her goodbye. It had been much harder to say goodbye to Jack though. Aaron had simply given his son a kiss on the head and told him that he loved him before checking that all the doors in the house were locked. The closer he had gotten to work the more he forced himself to focus on the job at hand.

He sat down and began sorting through files and pieces of paperwork that he divided into two seprate stacks that were important and not so important. It was how Gideon found him forty minutes later around nine.

"The first day back and you're already working you tail off I see." Gideon chuckled as he to a seat in Hotch's guest chair opposite the desk.

Hotch merely glanced at him while closing the current file he had and moving on to the next one.

"How's Jack?" Gideon asked after a few minutes of watch Hotch sign various forms of paperwork.

"He was asleep when I left a little after seven this morning," Hotch said taking his phone out and opening the picture he had taken of Jack at the hospital, "Here's a picture of him."

Gideon slipped on his glasses and smiled, "He looks just like you with the black hair and all."

"That's what everyone says but I still think he looks a little bit like Claire."

"He'll be just like his mom. Watch for it; just wait till he's in high school. He's going to be just like Claire was back then, wild as hell with a healthy dose of being a trouble maker and a heartbreaker."

Hotch shook his head, "I'm just about ready for him to be a month old in about a week. I'm not even close to being prepared for high school yet. The idea of him being in high school scares the hell out of me. I remember high school very well. Hormones are out of control and you think you know it all. I'll get paid back for all the things I ever pulled back then."

Gideon chuckled, "Plus whatever Claire did. Team meeting is at ten. I'm sure everyone will be excited to have you back. I know I am."

He stood and left Hotch finishing the work he was doing earlier.

* * *

><p>He slipped into the nursery through the closet door. It had been sweet to watch Agent Hotchner kiss his son goodbye. Peering over the side of the crib, he watched baby Jack sleep soundly in his onesie as he raised his camera up and snapped a picture of the sleeping baby. Jack shifted a little but didn't wake up. He silently picked up the duck that Aaron Hotchner had bought his son and moved it closer to the baby.<p>

With a sick smile he slipped back into the closet as he heard movement from down the hall. His beautiful Claire walked in a few seconds later and stood where he had been standing moments ago. She smiled down at Jack as she lifted him carefully out of the crib and left the nursery. All the while he recorded the encounter on his cameras.

Yes, today was a very good day for the Hotchner house hold. Slipping back out of the closet he continued to creep through the house and out the back door into the woods.

* * *

><p><strong>So major issues with this guy...he's starting to creep even me out! LOL...<strong>

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	30. Chapter 30

**Hello Everyone! Thanks for everyone who reviewed! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Please please leave a review!**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"A smile confuses an approaching frown." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Thirty: Jack Smiles and Laugh in Plain Sight**

January 20…1:52pm…

"Can you believe he's only twenty-four and he knows so much now?" Hotch asked as he and Gideon overlooked the bullpen and watched as Reid try and blow out the trick candles.

"Imagine what he'll know at fifty." Gideon snorted.

"When I was his age all that mattered was college and enjoying myself." Hotch chuckled crossing his arms over his chest.

"You know at thirty-six you sound like you're fifty." Gideon said chuckling.

Hotch gave him a smile, "Tell Claire that she'll defend me. When she turned thirty last year you would have thought the world was over for her."

"Thirty is traumatic to some people."

Hotch watched as JJ picked up the phone on the closest desk and frowned. That was the face he knew very well. They had a case and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Hey Hotch! Gideon!" Elle called, "Do you want some cake?"

Both men declined as JJ turned and gave the team the news about their news case in San Deigo.

* * *

><p>Claire was on her up the stairs when the phone rang. She groaned. Jack had just fallen asleep and she was worried that the phone would wake him. Running quickly back down the staircase, she nabbed the phone on the third ring.<p>

"Hello?" she said into the receiver.

There was no answer. Hanging up she turned to grab the laundry basket.

The phone rang again. This was becoming more and more unnerving. The phone would ring and no one would be there. That uneasy feeling settled inside of Claire again as she reached for the phone a second time.

"Hello?" she said cautiously.

"Hey it's me." Aaron's voice said.

"Oh. Did you just call a moment ago?" Claire asked looking out into the wooded back yard.

"No. Why?"

"Nothing, I'm losing my mind. What's going on?"

She leaned against the French doors and rubbed her forehead as she willed away the head ache that was forming behind her eyes.

"We have a case and I won't be home tonight. I just wanted to call let you know."

"Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I'm not sure sweetheart. But I'll call you the minute I know. You'll give Jack a kiss goodnight for me tonight?" Hotch asked anxious.

Claire smiled, "I always do Aaron. Don't worry. I love you and please, be safe."

"I will. I love you too. Bye."

She disconnected the call and grabbed the laundry basket intent on putting it away when she heard Jack start crying.

He'd had a cold all week and was upset. He was just like Aaron when he was sick too, crabby as hell and he wanted to be left alone to sleep. The only thing that seemed to calm him down some was when Vanilla poked his nose into the crib and let Jack touch his ears. Jack had taken a nap earlier on her bed while she had folded laundry snuggled up with Vanilla. Claire hadn't been able to resist taking a picture of Jack and Vanilla together. She'd show Aaron later.

Other than that one moment, Jack was miserable all the time and Vanilla kept guard in front of his crib twenty-four seven, something that the dog had started doing and Claire couldn't understand.

She gave a half smile to the ceiling and walked up stairs to see what she could do to help her poor little boy, never seeing the man creep into the laundry room behind her.

* * *

><p>It was a week later in the last week of January that Hotch sat at the dining room table after dinner going over case files. The harsh bite of winter had kept them inside for most of the day. Having just returned from San Diego last night and the case there, he had been anxious to be at home with Claire and Jack. Before becoming a father or a husband, Hotch had never had to work hard to keep his emotions separate from the job. But now, he could understand honestly why those men didn't want to return to their former homes. Without the ones there that they loved it was empty. The thought of anything happening to Claire like the Tommy killer had done made him sick.<p>

Pulling himself out of his thoughts he smiled as she walked into the dining room cradling Jack to her body. Hotch quickly closed the case files and flipped over the photos as he stood. His son might not be able to fully see and understand them yet but he wasn't going to let him ever see them. He and Claire had talked about moving in a few years to a bigger house and in that house he would defiantly have his own office that the kids wouldn't be allowed in unless Hotch was positive that no files or pictures were anywhere that could be accessible by tiny and curious hands.

"Hey buddy! Did you have a good bath?" he said as he took him out of Claire's arms.

Jack was wrapped up in a plush towel and still a little damp. Hotch kissed his head as Jack grabbed onto his shirt. He smelt like a freshly washed baby and Jack's skin was as soft as his mother's.

"I think he was very happy to be bathed. I wouldn't mind a nice bubble bath myself. Think you could watch him for a little bit?" Claire asked.

Hotch smiled, "Don't get out until your fingers look like prunes Claire or the water becomes cold. In fact, Jack and I don't want to see you for the next hour." Hotch said, "He and I will entertain ourselves. Won't we buddy?"

Jack looked up from where he was cradled in Hotch's arms and sneezed.

"Bless you." He and Claire said at the same time.

Claire chuckled and kissed his cheek, "Don't have too much fun without me. Here's his sleeping suit to change him into."

She handed him the suit and climbed the stairs as Jack watched her. It was something he had started doing watch Claire's every move like he could sense where she was and what she was doing.

"She'll be back buddy. She just needs time without us men in her life." Hotch said quietly rubbing Jack's back with his large hand.

He heard Claire snort as he shut the light off in the dining room. He wouldn't be doing anymore work tonight besides taking care of Jack. Claire deserved time for herself and he deserved some time with Jack. He hadn't spent time with his son by himself in over a week. Usually he tried to take time for just him and Jack for a half-hour to an hour each night he was home so Claire could do whatever she wanted to do before they both put Jack to sleep together.

Hotch grabbed the soft quilt on the back of the couch and laid it down on the living room floor. He sat down carefully and opened his legs into a 'v' and laid Jack down on it.

"Did you and your mom do anything special while I was away?" Hotch asked as he gently lifted and supported Jack's head as he changed him.

Jack kicked his legs a little after he was secure in his night suit and Hotch chuckled. He caught hold of his son's feet and began to blow kisses on the pads of Jack's feet. Jack happily waved his arms around and laughed.

The sound was foreign to Hotch's ears. It was the first time that he'd ever heard Jack's laugh and it was wonderful to hear. He blew kisses on Jack's tummy this time and Jack squealed and laughed harder.

It brought a smile to Aaron Hotchner face. Jack smiled back and showed off the famous Hotchner dimples.

"When did you start to smile and laugh? If I recall two weeks ago you could push yourself up a little but you couldn't laugh or smile. Does mom know?"

Jack just gave him a toothless smile and kicked his feet again. Hotch spent the next forty minutes playing with Jack and making him laugh more. Tickling him, making faces and doing whatever he could to make Jack laugh. It was blessed relief from work, stress, everything. He watched amazed that at three months old his son could push himself up already by himself and do a mini-push up. Jack could even hold himself steady for a little bit.

But it was still the fact that his son was laughing and smiling at him that pulled at his's heart strings. Picking Jack up, Hotch could hear the water draining up stairs and father and son left to go up stairs.

Hotch was surprised at how well Jack could hold his head steady as he held him close and climbed the stairs. He felt Jack fist his shirt tightly as he rested his hand on the back of Jack's head that rested on his heart. Jack liked to hear people's heart beats and Hotch could understand that. It was Jack's way of reassuring himself that someone was there holding him and taking care of him. It was a simple but very deep way of him bonding with people.

Walking into the bedroom, Claire sat on the bed rubbing lotion on to her legs wearing a black silk night gown that ended mid-thigh.

"Hey! How'd the game go?" she asked as Hotch lay out on the bed next to her with Jack on his chest.

"Actually, Jack and I played tickle monster. You didn't tell me that Jack had started to laugh and smile yet." Hotch said as he looked down at Jack who was content to be nestled in his father's arms.

Claire froze and looked at him wide eyed setting the bottle of lotion on the nightstand.

"He laughed? Aaron hasn't done that yet."

They both looked down at Jack who was exhausted from all the tickling and attention Hotch had given him.

"Well that's a first. I didn't know. If I had I would have brought him so you could hear him. He has my dimples just so you know." Hotch said with a smile as he rubbed Jack's back.

Claire gave a quiet laugh and kissed both Jack and Aaron's heads.

"I'm glad he laughed. I know now I can rely on you to cheer him up."

"You doubted me before?" Hotch joked.

"No, I'm just happy that I can rest in peace knowing that he has your dimples. I was really hoping he would."

Hotch chuckled as he pulled Claire close and snuggled with his family for the rest of the evening.

* * *

><p>He stepped into the house and breathed in the smell of freshly cleaned clothes. He knew his love Claire was in the laundry room folding clothes and Hotchner was at work. Climbing the stairs he went straight to Jack Hotchner's room and paused. The damn dog was in front of the crib again and had his hackles risen at him. The baby was asleep and the dog wasn't going to bark at all. He smiled and raised his camera before he took a picture of the dog. He grabbed Jack's Winnie the Pooh binkies including one with Pooh Bear, Piglet, Eeyore, Roo, Kanga, Rabbit, Tigger and Owl. He waved at Vanilla before slipping away back down stairs, out of the house and back into the woods.<p>

He had watched Claire touch the binkies early and knew that he needed something of that she had touched so he could touch to quench his desires for her body and blood. Touching the Eeorye one again he sighed in relief and clutched it to his chest happily. He smiled a sick smile as his plans for Hotchner's end continued to develop in his mind.

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><p><strong>Please leave a review! I know you can and that you have five seconds to do so! I promise to update as soon as I can! Life just got a little crazy again...lol<strong>


	31. Chapter 31

**Hello Everyone! Sorry for the wait! Life it seems has decided to be difficult...as usual. I won't be able to update as often as I want with school starting back up again and everything but I promise to try to have a new chapter at least once a month maybe more. Who knows! **

**Anyways, Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Wtiger5, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Grace Adara Potter, i'moneinamillion, You cant rush science., Elfsquire90, shippolove844, Lady Wesker and Katara Melody Cullen! You guys ROCK! Gold stars all around!**

**In conclusion, All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Is not a kiss the vary autograph of love?" ~ Henry Finck<em>

**Chapter Thirty-One: The Fox**

_Feb. 1…_

"Oh he's so cute! I love his little coat and boot combination. The jeans just make him look perfect." Garcia gushed over Jack as Claire turned the stroller so that everyone could get a good look at the littlest Hotchner. The women in the BAU all gushed over his cute red and white polo shirt with jeans and a cute black winter coat. Garcia even gushed over the cute red moccasins Jack wore that she had bought him. Over fifty percent of all Jack's clothes had been bought by his Grandmothers or Garcia. All Claire had to do was to dress him fashionably.

Jack was looking at them curiously and kicking his blanket off. He was sucking on his bright neon green Goofy pacifier as he gave an extra hard kick knocking his ducky out of the stroller.

"You don't even look like you had a baby three months ago Claire. You look fantastic!" Garcia said with a smile as she gave the naturally slender woman a hug.

"Thanks Pen. My poor treadmill is feeling the pain though." Claire said with a smile as Hotch bent over to pick up the duck. He put the duck by Jack's head as the baby smiled back at him with the binky in his mouth at him. Hotch smiled back and pulled the fleece blanket back over his son's body trying to keep him warm on the already cold floor which the BAU was located. Standing back up he chuckled as Morgan gave a look to both Garcia and JJ.

"I think he's adorable Hotch. Claire, congratulations and good luck if he's anything like Hotch. You'll be in my prayers girl." Morgan said from between JJ and Garcia's shoulders.

Claire laughed, "He's not that bad yet. I'm more afraid he'll be like Aaron when he walks. Going and going like the energizer bunny."

"How old is he?" Elle asked joining the group.

"He'll be four months on the fourth of February." Hotch supplied quietly watch Jack finally settle down, already looking tired of all the new faces.

Everyone kept smiling and watching Jack for another few minutes before Claire spoke up again.

"I think that it's time that Jack and I headed out. We still have to stop at the store before we head home." she said as she turned Jack towards the elevator. Hotch followed her as everyone returned to their desks. He hit the button to call the elevator and turned to look at Claire.

"Did you ever find his pooh bear pacifier?" he asked quietly.

"No, I've looked everywhere. Our bedroom, under the furniture, I even called your mom to see if I left one or two out her house but she hasn't seen any of them. It like eight binkies sprouted legs and ran. I didn't think our son was that mean and violent to them."

Hotch gave a small smile, "Just buy new ones Claire. It's fine. If we find them then we have a surplus of them in the end. It's always easier to have more then we need then not enough. Besides I think he liked Tigger better then he likes Goofy."

Hotch looked down to see that his son was exhausted from his excursion with the women of the BAU and had fallen asleep. He said goodbye to them both as Claire stepped onto the elevator. She smiled back at him as Elle handed Hotch a file. The elevator door closed and Hotch pushed all thoughts of Claire and Jack from his mind. He opened the file and looked down.

This wasn't going to be easy or pretty.

* * *

><p>Hotch and Elle stood at his desk as they listened to the ME's report about the Crawford's. Sorting through the photos and the file of the case was like looking at any husband or father's worst nightmare. His own included. He pushed the thought of Jack again out of his mind.<p>

If one thing was true, it was that since Jack had entered the world he saw everything in a different light. Looking at these photos made his stomach churn.

Not that he would ever admit that to anyone.

"Where's his wedding ring?" Hotch asked.

"It's not listed in his personal effects."

"He obviously wore one so where is it? He wouldn't just take his wedding ring off before he left for a family vacation. I could see Allison Crawford changing from a diamond ring to a cubic zirconium ring for the vacation. Most woman do, but where's his wedding ring?" Hotch asked again holding up the photograph for Elle to see.

"And how do you know the wedding ring trick?" Elle inquired.

"I'm married Elle in case you have forgotten. I know every trick in the book you women use." He replied as he continued going through the pictures.

* * *

><p>The house was quiet as he sat in the dining room. Files were open on the table but he wasn't paying attention to them. All he could think about was Karl Arnold. The man slipped into people's homes and pretended to be the father. He watched them and used the problems in the families to his advantage to play into his fantasy.<p>

The thought of anyone stalking his family made Hotch sick. He loved his job but things about it he wished he could unseen. Children were at the top of the list. There was a reason why he didn't talk about his private life. He had built a wall between work and family so that he never emotionally involved and at that moment his wall was weak.

"You've been staring off into space for the past half hour and have spoken really since you've gotten home. Are you okay?" Claire said gently as she rubbed Jack's back.

Hotch nodded and didn't bother to look up at her as he continued to read the file in front of him. Claire walked away carrying an upset Jack with her into the kitchen where Vanilla was barking. He knew that he should be doing something to help her with cleaning up dinner or calming Jack down or even taking Vanilla out but he was too wrapped up in his thouhgts to try and even function.

* * *

><p>"You haven't moved since you finished dinner. Jack's asleep and I came to see what you're up to." Claire said a few hours later.<p>

Her voice brought him back to the present and he watched her walk to him in her black silk robe. She stood behind him and rested her hands on his shoulders as she kissed his head.

Her hands reached his neck and she began to massage his tense muscles. Closed his eyes, "You know I should be working and you're distracting me."

Claire stopped, "Okay that's fine. Just remember to actually go to bed sometime."

She walked behind the arched doorway of the dining room, "I just want you to know that your son is asleep and that I don't have anything to do for once," she said as she undid the silk belt and let the robe slide off her and tossed it in the entry way to the dining room. She wore a red lacey bra and underwear set that contrasted perfectly against her tan skin. Her body looked like she hadn't had a baby few months ago at all.

"But I totally get it if you want to work. I mean a serial killer is so much more fun than I can be. I'll see you later I have a date with the TV and DVR upstairs." She said as she poked her head back in before smiling and walking out of the dining room again leaving a very stunned Hotch in her wake. It took him about thirty seconds to process what had happened before he abandoned work and was racing up the stairs behind her. His natural instincts taking over and giving in while his mind gave a sigh of relief for a mental repreive from the torture of the past few days.

* * *

><p>Claire was collapsed on top of him and half asleep as he rested his hand on her lower back. They had been laying there for a while and just enjoying the silence before Jack woke up later.<p>

"He would break into the family's house and stay with them for the length of the family vacation pretending to be the father and then he would kill them all." Hotch said quietly.

"What?" Claire said as she rested her chin up on his sternum.

"The last case I was working on. The unsub was killing families. He'd take the husband's wedding ring when he was finished as a trophy. He had eight rings in total." Hotch repeated gently tucking a small piece of hair behind his wife's ear.

Claire gave him a sad smile, "And you stopped him Aaron. That's a victory in itself. Think about how many lives you've saved. You couldn't have changed him. That man decided to kill those people but you stopped him. That's what matters. Don't beat yourself up over it."

Aaron let out a breath, "I know. It was hard because I actually kept thinking about you and Jack the whole time and it was difficult to just focus for once on a case. The idea of someone could just walk into that family's house and kill them like that makes me sick. Every time we decided to stop for the night all I could think about was you and him."

Claire sat up above him and leaned down. She kissed him hard and threaded her fingers through his short hair.

It was a kiss that Hotch let himself fall into and he forgot everything that had happened that day. It was a while before Claire pulled back looked at him. His chocolate eyes met her sky blue ones and she gave him a small watery smile.

"Jack and I aren't a case Aaron and you have to separate us from that. I love you so much and that will never be us in those pictures. So please don't worry and let yourself breath. At home here, you should be able to relax and just be Aaron, a wonderful husband and the world's best dad. Not SSA Aaron Hotchner, Unit Chief of the BAU or whatever you want to call yourself. Relax and leave the demons at work where they belong. If you don't, this job is going to eat you up and us right along with it. I don't want you to constantly have a haunted look about you because you are too wonderful of a man to look so sad. Just let go of everything Aaron."

She didn't give him a chance to reply as she kissed him again.

He chuckled as he watched the live feed of their conversation.

* * *

><p>He chuckled as he watched Hotchner roll his Claire onto her back and make love to her...<p>

Hotchner was naïve as one could get. The man talked about how his biggest fear was something tragic happening to his family like in the case files he worked on and yet it was slowly happening to him without his knowledge. This was just too funny...

And sexually stimulating...

Watching Hotchner screw his wife was giving him a hard on and ideas about the kind of torture he would inflict on his Claire.

She was going to be a screamer by the time he was down with her...

He'd bet his life on it.

* * *

><p>Jack's whimpering woke Hotch up a few hours later. Glancing at the clock, it was just past two o'clock in the morning. Claire hadn't stirred yet and was still asleep on her stomach. Grabbing a t-shirt and a pair of boxers, Hotch slipped out of the master bedroom quietly and down the hallway to Jack's room.<p>

Jack's eyes were wide open and staring back at Aaron as he leaned down to pick up his small son. He wasn't crying, he just looked upset and tired.

"Hey buddy what are you doing awake? I thought you were sleeping through the nights now?" Hotch said as he held Jack close to his chest and rubbed the baby's back.

Jack's response was a hiccup.

Hotch chuckled as he rocked back and forth on his heels, "I get it. You just wanted to be held like your mom does."

He kissed his son's soft, shiny black hair and rested his check on it. Just holding Jack was a peaceful moment. No one was demanding something from him and in Jack's eyes he could do no wrong. Jack's body was relaxing and his son was becoming dead weight in his arms. He could feel each breath his son took as his hand rested on Jack's back.

"You're not a case. You're Jack." Hotch said quietly as he sat down in the wooden rocking chair and held Jack close to him. He closed his eyes and let himself be lost in the moment with his son.

* * *

><p><strong>So, our friendly stalker is in the background as usual and Hotch is having a little trouble coping...<strong>

**Leave a review and tell me what you think because next chapter, a character is being voted off the island...literally. **

**Our guy finally nabs someone...**

**Mxoxo:)**


	32. Chapter 32

**Hello Everyone! Right so, I'm sorry for the wait...I've been really, really busy! But great thing about Holiday weekends? Extra Days! **

**So with a thanks to Katara Melody Cullen, Elfsquire90, Duchess of Lantern Waste, shippolove844, Bren Gail (So glad that you're enjoying it!), Grace Adara Potter, Lady Wesker, taitaliney-2049 and i'moneinamillion. You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for your reviews! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." ~ Irish Memorial Stone.<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Ghosts Are Watching**

_Friday…May 30...12:25pm…_

"Are you leaving at five?" Claire asked as she folded the towels in the bathroom, the phone between her shoulder and ear.

"That's the plan. I'm hoping that everything goes smoothly. How's Jack?" Hotch asked as he shuffled files around on his desk during his short lunch break.

Claire laughed, "He's in the living room playing inside his playpen and babbling while watching The Tigger Movie. Ever since he's started crawling he is turning into a little monster. I can't even make lunch without him moving somewhere else."

Hotch smiled and looked down at the picture of Claire and Jack sleeping together. It was a moment that he had captured that neither individual knew was on his desk, "He is quite the mover isn't he?"

"Yes he is." Claire said quietly. Jack's crying could be heard in the background, "I have to go Aaron. He's starting to get separation anxiety and I really can't leave him alone. I'll see you tonight?"

"I'll be there. I love you and give Jack a kiss for me." Hotch said watching Morgan walk up the steps to his office with a grim face. Jack had definitely inhertited his impeccable timing from his mother's side.

"I love you and I will give Jack a kiss. Love you. Bye."

Claire sighed as she put the phone down and went down stairs to get Jack.

"Hey you! What's going on Jack-Jack? Why are you upset?" she asked picking him up and holding him to her chest. He calmed down again once he was nestled in her arms.

"You are such a mama's boy aren't you?"

Jack smiled and clapped his hands together. Claire kissed each of his cheeks and held Jack close for a moment thinking of Aaron and how he didn't get as many moments with his son. She knew that it was the one thing he resented about his job but would never admit to anyone, even his own wife. But she knew, how much he missed his son in every glance and kiss he have to Jack. Even when he was on the verge of falling over from exhaustion Aaron still managed to devote sometime to Jack. Someday, Claire hoped that Jack would know how much his father truly loved him and that he'd do anything for them both and any other sibilings that came in the future.

The sound of the door bell brought Claire out of her muse. Walking to the door she smiled as Rossi stepped into the house.

"Dad!" she exclaimed giving him a hug and kissing his cheeks. Jack cried out in protest as he was crushed a little between his mother and his grandfather.

"Oh I'm sorry Jack. I didn't see you!" Rossi said taking Jack out of Claire's arm and into his. Jack was cute dressed in a pair of tan shorts, a sky blue t-shirt that matched his eyes and cute baby chucks on him.

"Any plans for the weekend?" Rossi asked, "I heard from Marilyn and Maria that Aaron isn't on call this weekend."

"He and I are going to just stay home and relax. We'll come to get Jack on Sunday evening. Maria and Marilyn can gush over him for two days in peace without Aaron and I telling them to stop and you know it will happen." Claire said as they both walked into the kitchen. A dipper bag and a second over the shoulder bag were sitting on the island along with the collapsed stroller and car seat.

"I'll go put everything in your car." Claire said, "Then I'm going to have to go and run errands for tonight. I'm making Aaron's favorite."

Rossi laughed, "You'll spoil him on good food and he'll complain about how bad the food is while he's away on cases."

Claire shrugged in response.

* * *

><p>It was a half-hour later that Rossi pulled out of the drive way in his Mercedes Benz and waved goodbye to Claire. Jack was asleep in the back seat and had been since Rossi had set the car seat on the floor and started to rock it. The kid was adorable in his outfit complete with little baseball cap with the Boston Red Sox on top to protect his head from the sun.<p>

When his son-in-law had called him two weeks ago and asked him to watch Jack for the weekend he jumped at the chance. Jack was a wonderful baby and spending time with him was easing at his guilt of failing Claire when she was Jack's age.

Pulling into his own drive way he chuckled as both Maria and Marilyn met him at the garage to see Jack. His grandson would be quite the heartbreaker someday.

* * *

><p>Sofia stepped into the Hotchner house and smiled. Even though Claire and Aaron weren't home she still stopped over to use the bathroom. Claire had always told her to stop by if she needed anything and Sofia qualified her bladder almost bursting as anything. It was about two-thirty and she was on her way to the hospital to get blood work done. In about six months time she would be joining Laura and Claire in the baby department. She was so excited! Sofia walked to the kitchen and down the hall to the bathroom.<p>

A piece of wire wrapped around her throat as she was in the doorway of the bathroom. She grabbed it and tried to get the assailant off her neck but he, whoever he was, was so strong. He overpowered her 5' 6", 125 pound frame easily. The last thing Sofia remembered seeing was Vanilla growling and raising his hackles at whoever was behind her.

* * *

><p>Hotch walked into his house and smiled. He could smell homemade pasta sauce and garlic. Walking into the kitchen, he set his brief case down on the counter and wrapped his arms around Claire. Placing random kisses on her neck and shoulders, he smiled when he found her ticklish spot at the base of her neck.<p>

"Stop it! I'm trying to cook Aaron," Claire said laughing as she turned towards him and kissed his lips.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands rested on her hips. Claire pulled back and smiled at him.

"Did you have a good day?" Hotch asked tucking a piece of hair behind Claire's ear.

"It's much better now that you're here." She said quietly, "Dinner is almost ready."

They ate dinner quietly which included Hotch's favorite pasta sauce and red wine. The dishes were done in a peaceful normality which they both enjoyed with Hotch washing and Claire drying. Hotch asked Claire about various bank statements and the house budget. They also talked about Jack and how he was growing so fast. Work was never mentioned and Hotch was grateful for that. He just wanted to be with his wife and forget about the responsibilities of his life for the night.

* * *

><p>It was a few hours later, sitting on the front that she felt the most relaxed in a long time. They were wrapped up in a large fleece blanket watching the fire flies light up in the front yard and the kids playing Hockey on roller blades in the circle. She sat on his lap with her head resting on his shoulder. The wine from the evening had given her a feeling of calm. She felt him press a box into her hands and she looked down at the little black box.<p>

"What's this?" Claire asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"It's a gift," Hotch chuckled, "Last time I checked you're my wife and I'm allowed to give you a gift."

Claire laughed, "I'm just curious what the occasion is."

Hotch kissed her head and closed his eyes, "I love you and I want to give you a gift. Is an occasion needed?"

"No, I just wasn't expecting a gift." Claire whispered as she took the bow off the box. She almost cried when she saw the necklace inside.

It was a silver chain with a beautiful angel pendent that was speckled crystals and shined.

"Oh it's beautiful!" Claire said smiling at him and kissed him, "I love it."

She quickly took the necklace out of the box and gave it to Hotch before turning and lifting up her hair in the back as a gesture for him to help her put it on. He hooked the necklace on with easy as he had down with other necklaces countless times before and enjoyed the feeling of her skin against his fingers.

When she turned to show him what it looked like with her wearing it he frowned as a police cruiser pulled into the drive way.

"Aaron you're frowning, what's—"

Claire saw the flashing lights in the glass and watched as a police cruiser pulled into the drive way. Hotch instantly changed into his work self and gently pushed Claire off and walked down the steps of the porch. He shook hands with the officer and spoke for a few minutes before returning with a grim face and held out a hand to Claire.

"We need to go down to the ME's office. There's been an accident Claire and they need your help." He said gently.

Claire knew it wasn't Jack or any family members, Aaron's face was indifferent and his eyes cold. Had it been a family member, Claire was sure he would have reacted differently.

She accepted his hand and he clasped it giving it a gentle squeeze as they both walked back into the house to lock the doors and grab the keys to the Escape.

* * *

><p>Claire sat in the back seat of the cruiser with the officer who Aaron had spoken too. The man had been polite and respectful to her and had asked her basic questions about herself.<p>

Age, family, daily routine, and so on and so forth which baffled Claire. For the life of her, she could figure out why she was riding in a cop car down town without any information as to why.

Aaron had told her to just ride with the police and he'd be behind her the whole ride there.

"Do you know a Miss Sofia Rosolini?" the officer asked.

The question startled Claire. What could Sofia do with this?

"Yes, I do." Claire said hesitantly, "She and I were college roommates and went to nursing school together."

"I see." He replied in a monotone voice.

The car filled with silence again as the officer scribbled some words on a page that Claire didn't dare read.

"Can you please tell me what's going on! It's not fair to keep asking me these questions and not tell me what happened tonight!" Claire snapped a few minutes later, the anxiety and stress of the situation weighing heavily on her nerves.

"I regret to inform you Mrs. Hotchner but we believe that we found Sofia Rosolini's body this evening and we need you to identify the body. Her boyfriend is in custody and we believe that he was the one who strangled her to death and mutilated her body."

Claire blinked at him and felt like the world had just stopped. A lone tear slid down her cheek.

"What?"

* * *

><p><strong>So...sorry for the cliffy...leave a review and I'll update again as soon as I can.<strong>

**BTW, if you want to see Claire's new necklace, jump over to my profile page...**


	33. Chapter 33

**Thanks to Everyone who Reviewed last Chapter including: Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Katara Melody Cullen [I JUST FINISHED IT! SO HAPPY:)], shippolove844, i'moneinamillion, Grace Adara Potter, Lady Wesker, Elfsquire90 and taitaliney-2049! **

**You guys rock! Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: Some graphic descriptions...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>One regret dear world, that I am determined not to have when I am lying on my deathbed is that I did not kiss you enough."~ Hafiz of Persia<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Unborn and Unclear**

Claire stood over Sofia's dead body and cried.

Sofia was truly gone.

The woman who had once filled Claire's life with so much joy and happiness was dead. The gray skin of Sofia was cold and her lips had a bluish tint to them. Her skin was bruised from where her attacker had strangled her.

But her true cause of death was blood loss.

The ME had found out that the attacker had cut out Sofia's uterus while she was a live and murdered her unborn child first before proceeding to cut up Sofia's intestines and other internal organs. Her liver, kidneys had been taken out before the attacker took her heart to sell on a black market.

The torturous death of her friend left Claire near inconsolable.

She wasn't sure how long she had stood there running her fingers through Sofia's dull and lifeless hair when Hotch had gently walked up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. When asked how she got from Sofia's side to her bed at home, Claire would have had no idea how to answer. But Aaron's gentle but firm guiding had gotten her out of the morgue.

He held her while she had cried herself to sleep that night in his arms as he whispered comforting things to her trying to help her calm down and relax.

Whoever had done this horrible act was heartless and Claire felt the deepest sense of horror and pity at them for their actions.

How could such hatred exist in the world?

The saddest part of all was knowing that if Sofia had lived, her daughter and she would have made the world a brighter place.

* * *

><p>He tore at his hair.<p>

Oh! Oh! How wonderful it had felt to kill that bitch. Her screams had been orgasmic as she begged him to spare her and her baby. Begging him that she wouldn't tell a soul anything if he just let her go and return home.

But instead, strapping her onto the surgical table and using the knives and blades to cut her open and take her apart had been a joyful experience.

He'd always enjoyed biology where the class had to dissect a shark but this experience blew that one out of the water. He'd practiced all the techniques he wanted to try on Claire and figured out which ones he didn't want to use.

But he needed more practice.

More women who looked more like Claire in body and home life than anyone else.

The need to kill was growing inside him again and he knew he'd have to be careful before this thing took hold of him once more…

* * *

><p>Claire stood in a knee length black dress with pearls around her neck as another person offered her a hug and condolences on Sofia's death. The line at the church felt like it went on for hours as everyone who had ever known Sofia came to say goodbye. Aaron stood next to her like a pillar of strength and was probably the only reason that she had not yet dissolved into heap of bubbling tears. As she hugged Sofia's cousin, Claire felt Aaron's hand gently touch her lower back as a sign that she needed to let go of the nameless cousin and move on to the next person. It was Aaron that had kept the line going at a good pace for most of the afternoon.<p>

Claire plopped down on her side of the bed in their bedroom and kicked off her black heels and stood up again and walked into their closet. She reached under her arm to get the zipper and yanked it down desperate to hold back her tears. Stepping out of the dress she left it on the floor and grabbed her black silk nightgown. Putting it on, she moved to return into the bedroom but ran into a solid wall of muscle. She latched onto Aaron and finally let herself cry.

The pain was filling her heart and tearing it apart. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. He helped her to bed and held her tight against him.

"Just let it out Claire. You'll feel better…"Aaron said quietly.

She continued to sob helplessly in his arms.

Aaron closed his eyes and rubbed her back. Claire needed these tears to fall because they were the first steps to recovering from the loss of Sofia. Kissing the top of her head again, he pulled her close as a second wave of tears over took her.

* * *

><p><strong>So our creeper keeps on creeping...this guy is starting to make me scared...you? Leave a review and be the 200th reviewer!<strong>


	34. Chapter 34

**Hello Everyone! I felt bad about the last chapter being less then three pages so I decided to post again with another LONGER chapter! We are getting so close to the end! I'm starting to become obsessed with writing and trying to finish this story by October. I'm going to start a new fanfiction for House M.D. and I really want to finish this first because it's a pain in the you know what to try and do two stories at once. Been there, done that with Make a Memory and Goodnight My Angel, which I just finished Sunday! **

**Anyways, Thanks to everyone who left a reveiw including: Katara Melody Cullen [I promise that all shall be revealed in the end!:)], i'moneinamillion, VampireGleek, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Duchess of Lantern Waste, You cant rush science, Lady Wesker and shippolove844. YOU GUYS ROCK! THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**Sorry for the long AN! All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

**PS~ Jumping Ahead in time, it's been almost a year since Sofia's death...**

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><p>"<em>The most dangerous untruths are truths moderately distorted." ~Georg Christoph Lichtenberg<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Charmer**

_Saturday…April 18…3:30PM…_

Claire smiled down at her sleeping sixteen month old son. Jack had gotten so big in the past year and it seemed like just yesterday he was being brought home as a new born but instead he was over a year old. Jack looked more and more like Aaron with each passing day. She chuckled to herself as she thought that no one could honestly ever challenge Jack's paternity. The shocking jet black hair was a dead giveaway.

Giving Jack one last kiss she pulled the blanket over his shoulders. Cracking the door to Jack's bedroom, she heard a knock at the door and with one last look at Jack, Claire walked down stairs.

Unlocking the door and pulling it open, Claire looked at the delivery man on the other side of the screen curiously. Neither she nor Aaron had ordered anything and she couldn't think of anyone that would send them anything.

"Are you Mrs. Hotchner?" he asked.

"Yes. Can I help you?" Claire asked feeling nervous all of a sudden.

"I have a package for your husband. A girl's life depends on it."

Claire's eyebrows rose and she looked at him startled, "Thank you. I shall get it to him right away."

He nodded and walked off the porch as Claire closed the door. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone to dial Aaron. As the phone rang she looked at the unmarked vanilla envelope in her hand.

"This is Aaron Hotchner, please leave a message and I will return it as soon as I can. Thank you."

Claire sighed, "Aaron it's me, please call me back."

She hung up the phone and looked out at backyard. Clutching the vanilla envelope, Claire climbed the steps to their bedroom and tried to call Aaron again.

* * *

><p>Claire picked Jack up and put him in the stroller. It was almost ten o'clock at night and Aaron still hadn't come home or picked up his phone. The vanilla envelope felt like lead weight in her purse. Placing the blue fleece blanket around Jack she kissed his head. He felt warmer than usual and she frowned. Claire would rather him be in bed at home this late but she had no choice but to come to the BAU to give Aaron the envelope.<p>

Pushing Jack into the building she took a deep breath and willed away the head ache that she felt coming on.

Aaron looked up from the phone that he was on and spotted Claire and Jack. Walking towards them he had a confused look on his face.

"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked quietly spotting Jack sleeping in the stroller.

Claire fished the envelope out of her purse and handed it to him, "Someone dropped this off at the house earlier today. He said a girl's life was in danger. I tried calling you earlier but your phone was off and no one picked up your office phone."

Hotch felt dread fill him at Claire's words, "Someone came to the house?"

Claire nodded, "It was around 3:30 this afternoon when Jack was sleeping. The man said it was for you."

"Let's get you two into my office. You can tell me and Gideon everything in a minute." Hotch said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided towards his office.

* * *

><p>Holding Jack against him, Hotch rubbed his back as his son shifted in his arms. Jack's soft hair rubbed against his neck as his son moved again clearly not pleased with how his evening was proceeding.<p>

"We'll get you with a sketch artist. Jason can you call one please." Hotch asked quietly.

It had been an hour since Claire had shown up and had answered all their questions to the best of her ability.

"How long do you think it will take for the sketch artist to get here? I need to take Jack home and get him to bed. It's almost midnight and he'll be cranky tomorrow." Claire asked quietly standing up to feel Jack's forehead again, "He's getting warmer. I really just want to get him home Aaron."

Hotch sighed and gently handed Jack back to Claire, "I think you shouldn't go home. I'll call Garcia and have her put you in a hotel. This unsub knows where we live and everything. Please just listen to me when I say you can't go home."

"Aaron…can't I stay with Dad? I would feel much safer with Dad than I would at some Hotel. Please?"

Jack began to stir and whimpered. Claire gently rocked Jack back and forth. Picking up the blue blanket from the stroller, Claire attempted to hold Jack and wrap him up but failed miserably. Hotch walked over and took the blanket. Wrapping Jack up in the fleece blanket, Hotch looked at Claire and sighed.

Walking to the desk, Hotch picked up the receiver and dialed Rossi's number.

"Dave, it's Aaron. I know that it's late but something has come up. I need you to come and get Claire and Jack…"

* * *

><p>David Rossi stepped onto the BAU floor and saw Aaron standing there waiting for him at the doors.<p>

"Thanks for coming this late. I feel better knowing that they'll be with you." Hotch said as they walked towards his office.

Rossi and Hotch entered it just as Jack was stirring in his stroller. His whimpers broke Rossi's heart as he could tell the boy was obviously upset by the fact that people kept interrupting his sleep and he wasn't comfortable in the stroller.

Hotch picked Jack up and the boy quieted as he became comfortable in his father's arm again.

"Claire is with the sketch artist and should be done with him soon. I'm hoping that somehow this man who approached Claire today can lead us to the unsub." Hotch said quietly.

Rossi paused and looked at his son-in-law. The man looked cool and composed on the outside but inside Rossi knew the man had to be worried. A potential unsub had approached his wife in their home. That would have Rossi freaking out too.

"How are you dealing with this?" Rossi asked quietly.

"I just want them safe until this blows over. If I can focus and know that they're being taken care of then the faster this is done and I can take them home. God knows Jack is mad with me for moving him constantly and having an influx of traffic coming to in and out of this office. Every time he gets to sleep someone is walking in with something for Jason or me." Hotch replied rubbing Jack's back again as a knock sounded at the door. Jack started crying again and spoke for the first time that evening, "Daddy!"

Hotch kissed the little boy's head, "I know buddy, just close your eyes and try to sleep again. Mommy's almost finished and you'll get to go spend the night with grandpa."

Rossi went to the door and opened it as Garcia stepped into the office. She gave Hotch an apologetic look as she handed him the file, "Sorry but you might want to look at this."

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><p>He looked around the house and walked through the doorway to the spare bedroom. He'd felt badly for killing Claire's friend but she had almost seen him a year ago and it would have ruined everything. But oh, how he had enjoyed killing whatever her name was…<p>

Opening the closet he smiled as he looked at the clothes, Claire's favorite white bikini top and bottom was folded on the shelf along with other summer clothes. Smiling her took them out and smelt the bottoms. God, he wondered what they smelt like after she had worn them. Slipping the bottoms into his pocket, he grinned again and grabbed the top.

Her breasts were perfect even after having that bastard baby. They still look just as firm and rounded as they had before her body changed. In his mind she was still beautiful, but having that baby had ruined her body to him. He didn't care how many times Agent Hotchner assured her that she was still beautiful; between them both he knew that the man probably thought her unattractive and flabby. Maybe that's why he hadn't seen as much sex on his computer monitor in the past month…maybe they were drifting apart.

Oh the time was drawing close and he couldn't wait till he could make his move again and kill…

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><p><strong>So...our creeper is smelling bikini bottoms now...anyone thinks he should be locked up for all this? <strong>

**Leave a review below and I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Hello Everyone! I thought that I give ya'll some Jack moments after I left some of you with a sour taste in your mouth from last chapter. Rest assured, there is no creeper here today. **

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed including Lady Wesker, i'moneinamillion, Katara Melody Cullen, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, wildcat717, Elfsquire90 and shippolove844! Thanks Guys!**

**Leave reviews! I love hearing what you guys think! **

**Anyway, All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!" ~Albert Einstein<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Five: The Boogeyman and Jack's Birthday**

_Six months later…Saturday…November 4…6:30PM… _

"Daddy?" Jack asked as he sat in his car seat as he and Claire drove home from visiting Rossi.

"Sorry Jack no daddy yet but he'll be here soon. I promise." Claire said glancing at the boy in the back of her Escape. She silently hoped that Aaron would be home soon. Jack had been asking for him all day and she hated to see his disappointment every time she told him that his daddy hadn't arrived yet. She had tried calling Aaron earlier to talk to him and see if she could somehow help Jack relax and enjoy his small birthday party without Aaron being there physically.

Pulling into the driveway, she turned off the car and got out. Helping Jack out, she put him on the ground and let him tot around the driveway while she got his presents out of the back and kept an eye on him.

"Come on Jack!" she called as Vanilla barked at the door and Jack's face lit up. Vanilla had become his best friend and he enjoyed touching the dog especially. The dog's fur fascinated Jack to no end and Vanilla seemed to like getting a free belly rub when his fur wasn't being pulled. Opening the front door, Claire smiled as Jack sat down in front of Vanilla and let the dog lick his face.

"You're in the door way sweetheart. I have to get in and close the door. You don't want the house to be cold when you go to bed do you?" Claire asked laughing a little at her son's antics.

Jack shook his head and raced into the living room with Vanilla on his heels. Claire laughed again and closed the door behind her.

"Five minutes then it is bath time Jack."

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><p>It was an hour and a half later that Claire gently laid down a sleepy Jack in his toddler bed that he asked about Aaron again.<p>

"Daddy?"

Claire smiled gently and kissed his forehead, "Aren't my kisses better then daddy's?"

Jack nodded, "Yes, but you can't chase the monster's out like Daddy can."

Tucking the covers up to Jack's chin, she kissed his forehead again, "Happy Birthday. Go to sleep and maybe daddy will be here when you wake up. How does that sound?"

Jack didn't reply but only turned to lie on his stomach and closed his eyes.

"Okay," he said in a quiet whisper a few seconds later.

With one last kiss, Claire stood and quietly walked over to the door letting Vanilla in. The dog laid down on the floor in front of Jack's bed and silently kept watch. Shutting the light off, Claire cracked the door and walked down stairs to sit on the bottom step. She silently would wait for Aaron and they would have a talk about priorities because not calling his son on Jack's birthday ranked up there with cheating on your wife in her book of sins.

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><p>Aaron Hotchner quietly opened the door to the house and closed the door behind him. Worry about Elle and the current case filled his mind as he intended to move down the hall way to the kitchen and deposit his go-bag in the laundry room and go to bed. It had been a long day and tomorrow was Jack's birthday. He wanted to be able to spend time with his son and not feel like he was lagging behind his energetic son.<p>

However, Aaron never had the chance to move as the lights flipped on and Claire stood there obviously pissed in her nightgown.

"Do you know what time it is? No text message, no call, nothing telling me what time you'd be home Aaron. Do you even know what day it is?" She snapped at him clearly not pleased with him.

Aaron quickly ran through the list of possible triggers of things he could have done to make his wife this angry. Apparently pausing to think was a bad idea because Claire jumped right in at him possibly angry then before.

"Today is Saturday, Aaron. Today your son kept asking me where you were because his dad wasn't here or even called to wish him a happy birthday." She said her voice cracking as she reached forward to grab his go-bag, "Please go wish him a happy birthday before I snap again and make you sleep on the couch because I'm not in a very forgiving mood right now."

"Claire-" Hotch tried but she had already disappeared into the kitchen with the go-bag. He wanted to kick his own ass at that moment as he climbed the stairs to his son's room. How could he have forgotten Jack's birthday was today? How could he have screwed up that badly that he was more preoccupied with a case then remembering his son's birthday was Saturday not Sunday?

Gently pushing open the door, Hotch paused as he saw Vanilla look up at him through the semi-dark room. A small elephant nightlight was in the corner providing a glow to the room as his son slept quietly on his stomach. Jack moved on to his side and looked directly at him. He hadn't been expecting Jack to be awake. Had his son stayed awake all this time? It was almost mid-night. Kneeling down next to Jack's bed, Hotch kissed his son's black hair and breathed in his scent.

"Happy Birthday buddy," Aaron said quietly, "Why aren't you asleep?"

Jack blinked sleepily at him, "I misses you."

It was that simple reply that almost brought tears to Aaron's eyes, "You missed me?"

"Ducky falls under the beds and I scared to gets him. There monsters there that only you cans chase away. Mommy isn't as good as you."

Aaron smiled and lifted the bed skirt finding the duck easily on the empty floor and whispering gibberish to scare the monsters away. Quickly pulling the duck out from under the bed as if he had been fighting something, Aaron smiled as Jack giggled and grabbed for the duck.

"Thanks you daddy," Jack said yawning, "I misses you when yous gone."

Aaron smiled and touched his son's hair as the boy closed his eyes, "How about you and I go to the aquarium tomorrow? It'll be our birthday treat."

"No mommy?" Jack asked.

"If you want that," Aaron replied quietly as Jack moved to lie on his stomach.

Jack nodded and snuggled ducky closed to him. Aaron's hand rested gently on his son's back as he rubbed it in a gentle circular motion. He watched his son's breathing even out and the little boy relax his grip on the duck. Just as he was about to stand up, he felt Jack tug his hand.

"I love you daddy." He whispered.

Hotch kissed Jack's head, "I love you too buddy. We have a big day tomorrow and you need to sleep."

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><p>Claire was sitting up in bed waiting for Aaron watching the tail end of the local eleven o'clock news. She had heard most of Jack and Aaron's conversation as she had returned upstairs from doing the laundry and was happy that they were doing something tomorrow. With all the hormones in her body at the moment she felt like she was going to cry at any second. The weatherman had said that the forecast looked snowy and freezing for the week ahead. Aaron picked the perfect day it seemed to take Jack out to see the fishes. Something that he loved to do with Aaron and would only do with Aaron no matter how much anyone else tried to take him, Jack never budged unless Aaron took him.<p>

It also gave her the perfect opportunity to go and confirm her suspicions about all the nausea she'd been experiencing lately. There was only one way to confirm what she knew deep down to be true.

She shut off the TV as Aaron walked into the room and took of his coat. He walked into their closet and came back a few minutes later in a white t-shirt and blue boxers.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier Aaron-" Claire stared but he cut her off.

"I forgot today was his birthday Claire. I thought tomorrow was his birthday and I let him think the whole day that I didn't care. He wouldn't sleep without knowing I knew today was his birthday. I deserved to be yelled at for that. We made a promise to each other if we ever stopped putting Jack first we'd call each other on it and make sure we knew what we were doing. You called me on it and I'm grateful you did." Hotch said as he crawled into bed next to her and laid down, "Besides, he and I are going to the aquarium tomorrow to have a day to just us. We haven't spent time together in a while and we need to. Think you can manage to find something to do tomorrow?"

Claire smiled at him gently, "I'm sure I can and I'm still sorry that I yelled at you."

Hotch grunted and turned on his side pulling her close as they spooned together in bed quietly mumbling conversation about the house, finances and life in general till Aaron drifted off to sleep first exhausted from a long day.

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><p><strong>Ahh! Happy Chapters I love them...don't you? Just wait...Creeper might pop up again...just saying...<strong>


	36. Chapter 36

**Hello Everyone! I'm so excited because I've been writing again about our little creeper and I so couldn't resist posting another chapter. I usually try to wait till I have about ten reviews for a chapter but I couldn't wait this time! **

**Thanks to those who did take time to review including: Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, taitaliney-2049, Duchess of Lantern Waste, Katara Melody Cullen, Lady Wesker and i'moneinamillion. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Enjoy, Mxoxo**

"_If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." ~Bob Hope_

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Planning Ends Now**

Claire smiled at the familiar memory of sitting on the bathtub two years ago experiencing every emotion of fear to excitement to horror when she had found out that she had been pregnant with Jack. Now it seemed as if history was repeating itself, hopefully.

It was just after one o'clock in the afternoon and Aaron had taken Jack to the aquarium. Her husband's timing was impeccable even if he didn't know it. But somehow Aaron had been on the same wave length as her and had inadvertently given her the day she needed to herself to take the pregnancy test and sleep for a few hours undisturbed.

Claire felt the anticipation fill her as she looked at her phone's timer again and realized in the space of thirty seconds her world could change completely. Jack could possibly have a little brother or sister and she and Aaron would both be parents again. As an only child she'd always longed for a sibling to fill the void she sometimes felt when she was alone and when Jack had been born she'd sworn to herself that her son would never feel the pangs of being an only child.

The timer beeped and Claire grabbed the pregnancy test.

Positive…

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><p>Hotch held Jack as the boy yawned again. He didn't blame his son for being tired. Jack's little body needed sleep and he'd only gotten less than six instead of his usual eight to nine hours of sleep.<p>

They were walking through the glass tunnel and looking at all the bright colored fish. Hotch could feel Jack's head moving on his shoulder as the little boy looked around for his favorite type of fish. The 'Dory' fish as he called it. It took a few minutes but Hotch spied the fish in the corner and walked towards it gently rubbing Jack's back.

"I found Dory buddy." He said gently but was answered by what sounded like a little snore from Jack. Hotch took out his phone and snapped a picture of quietly to save for later. Maybe he'd even print it out so Jack could have a picture of it in his room to look at when Hotch wasn't home. Shifting Jack so that his son would be more comfortable, Hotch moved down the rest of the tunnel enjoying the peaceful silence of the fish and Jack's breathing.

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><p>It was close to six when Jack and Hotch entered the house again. After having spent most of the afternoon at the aquarium and stopping to visit Uncle Sean for a few hours to help fix his plumping problem, Jack was thoroughly exhausted and ready for sleep.<p>

Aaron set Jack down in his enclosed play area with Vanilla and walked upstairs. Claire was asleep in their bed with her back towards the door. Hotch gently closed the door completely and returned down stairs to Jack and announced that they'd have to make dinner themselves and have bath time and bedtime together too. Jack just clapped his hands and smiled.

If there was one person that Hotch could always make happy it would be Jack.

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><p>Claire woke with the feeling of being watched. Quickly sitting up in bed she looked around the empty bedroom and felt her flight or fight instincts kick in. The shrill silence of the room disturbed her and the feeling of someone spying haunted her. Pushing back the comforter, Claire stood and grabbed her black silk robe from its place by the foot board. Putting it on quickly she checked the bathroom and the walk in closet but found nothing but the two little night lights in there on. Walking back into the bedroom she unknowingly looked directly into the camera that was hidden in the vent.<p>

Shaking her head and telling herself she was being foolish, Claire turned and nearly screamed as she saw Aaron standing there holding two glasses of wine. Bringing her hand to her thundering heart, Claire grabbed the dresser for support as she felt dizzy.

"Whoa!" Hotch said quickly setting the glasses down and gently grasping Claire's elbows, "What happened? Are you feeling alright?"

Claire shook her head, "Please don't sneak up on me. I'd like to avoid having grey hairs for as long as humanly possible."

Hotch couldn't resist the urge to chuckle as he wrapped an arm around Claire's shoulders and brought her close to him. Kissing her forehead and breathing in her perfume he smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"How about a glass of wine? Will that sooth your nerves? And just so you know, it's nine-thirty in the evening, your son is asleep after having been exhausted today and I made really good peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner."

Claire laughed, "He wasn't a problem was he? Jack is like a carbon copy of you literally. When he is crabby he doesn't take kindly to others."

Hotch smiled and kissed her, "I know how to deal with my own son. Give that credit at least."

Claire smiled as Hotch let go of her to grab the glasses of wine. He offered her one as he took a sip of the other. Claire shook her head smiling as he shrugged and walked towards the closet to change and setting the wine on the dresser, "I don't think I should drink for a while. It might be bad for the baby."

Hotch stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at her, "What?"

"I said that drinking might be bad for the baby." Claire said like she was talking to a five year old, slowly and clearly.

It took Hotch a second but he offered her a dimpled smile as he moved quickly to kiss her. As soon as he stopped kissing her, he picked her up and spun her around laughing with joy at the news.

"Really?" Hotch asked, his voice cracking from the emotions filling him. He was blessed to have Jack. The thought of having a second child filled him with more joy then he could ever anticipate.

Claire nodded and smiled to him through her tears. Aaron Hotchner couldn't say anything because he was too busy smiling happily at his wife.

"Say something," Claire whispered against his lips as she kissed him.

"I think that I'm the most in love with you then I have ever been at this very second." Hotch replied as he lowered her to the bed and kissed her back.

All Claire could do was smile at him as she threaded her fingers through his hair…

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><p>He'd watched the whole thing on his camera and he could feel the uncontrollable anger filling him like a title wave. She was pregnant! Again! Didn't she understand that he didn't want her to have anymore of Aaron Hotchner's bastard children! He closed his eyes and smiled…that new baby would freeze when he got his hands on it…that baby would freeze in the cold night air. His mind finally coming to its final timeline for this scheme, after years he'd finally have his revenge. When that baby was four months old he'd attack the family…starting with that new little member…<p>

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><p><strong>Leave a review! I know you can...it only takes five seconds!<strong>


	37. Chapter 37

**Hello Everyone! So I thought when I first started this story it would be like fifty chapters max. Nope, I'm looking at probably sixty or seventy plus chapters. I just finished writing Chapter Fifty-Four and this story still isn't anywhere close to being done. **

**Anyways, Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter including, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, i'moneinamillion, Katara Melody Cullen, Lady Wesker, shippolove844, and taitaliney-2049. You guys rock! Thanks to those who are subscribing too! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>Life is simple, it's just not easy." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Emily Prentiss**

_Three months later…Monday…January 13__th__…10:30 AM… _

Hotch was busy sorting through the files on his desk when he heard a knock on his door. Looking up, he bid the woman to enter. She introduced herself as Emily Prentiss and his mind instantly flashed back to Elizabeth Prentiss who had been one of his first assignments with the FBI.

He felt bad because he couldn't spare her the pleasantries but he late for a meeting and the constant worry he had for Claire was present in the back of his mind. Maria had called earlier saying that Claire was so dehydrated from constantly throwing up because of the morning sickness that she had fainted and hit her head on the counter top in the master bathroom. Not hard enough to knock her out completely just hard enough to give her a large lump. Being the woman that she was, Maria had told him all this calmly and reassured him that he had nothing to worry about that she was taking Claire to the hospital to be checked out for a concussion.

When he had told Rossi what had happened, the man had said that Maria was notorious for calling and telling him news like that with her reassurance not to worry. Promising Aaron that he'd go check on Claire had let Hotch relax a little but not drop the subject completely.

Telling him that the mother of his children had fainted, hit her head and was at the hospital and not to worry almost made him laugh humorlessly. Claire was his wife and he had every intention of worrying about her till the end of his days and into the afterlife if she outlived him. Maria must be crazy if she thought that she could just tell him that then just hang up.

Rubbing his forehead, he walked down the hallway to the next meeting praying that the day got better and quickly.

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><p>Claire stepped off the elevator and walked into Garcia.<p>

"Momma Hotchner!" she gushed, "Let me look at you. You're glowing!"

Garcia grabbed her hand and pulled her into the BAU towards the cave, "I have to show you the cutest t-shirt that I found for Jack!"

Claire let Garcia talk and show her the graphic t-shirt of 'Finding Nemo' knowing that Jack would probably want to wear it every day till he grew out of it. She smiled at the picture of Jack and Garcia on the woman's desk and agreed to let Garcia buy the shirt a size too big for Christmas.

A very pregnant JJ walked in a few minutes later and Claire was stunned. She'd had no idea that JJ was pregnant.

"Oh my God!" Claire blurted out before clasping her hand to her mouth, "I'm so sorry JJ! I didn't mean for it to come out like that but I had no idea that you were pregnant. Aaron never told me! I'll deck him really hard when I see him next."

Garcia laughed with tears rolling down her cheeks and JJ blushed, "I think it's safe to say that Boss Man's mind was probably on other things when JJ announced the news."

"I feel so bad. Please don't tell me that you've already had your shower." Claire mumbled into JJ's hair as she gave her a hug.

"Sorry it was last weekend. You missed it by two days." JJ said smiling sadly at Claire's dejected face as she let go of her.

"I'll just have to buy you a present and give it to you later then." Claire reasoned.

After ten more minutes of chit chat about clothing, babies and Jack's latest achievements, Claire managed to slip away from Garcia and to Aaron's office. Walking to the open office she stopped seeing a woman sitting on the couch looking bored.

"Emily Prentiss, how can I help you?" the woman said standing and offering Claire a hand to shake. She took it and calmly shook Emily Prentiss' hand.

"Hi, I'm looking for Aaron Hotchner. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find him, would you." Claire asked feeling tired all of a sudden and the pounding inside her skull had returned all of a sudden from just looking at the pretty dark haired woman in Aaron's office. It took Claire a moment to realize that she was jealous and upset that this woman was alone in Aaron's office for no reason and that he was spending time with this Emily Prentiss and not at home with his family. Claire kept telling herself that it was simply hormones from the pregnancy but for the life of her she couldn't figure out why this woman rubbed her the wrong way. She'd only just introduced herself.

"No I'm sorry. I don't know where he is but you could leave him a note." Emily suggested almost too sweetly for Claire's liking.

"Thank you for your help. I'll just call him later." Claire said quickly leaving the room and heading towards the elevators. Though she didn't have a full concussion, Claire's head had already ached like she had a real one. Groaning as she waited for the elevator, Claire closed her eyes hoping that an afternoon nap would rid her headache somewhat.

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><p>He smiled as he opened the bottom drawer of Claire's night stand. Being careful to not move a thing, he reached for the small rose wood box inside and took it out. Setting it on the bed and gently opening it, he smiled at the contents. Memorable items that his precious Claire had collected over the years she had been alive. Gently taking out the small bag of sea shells she had collected from the Caribbean while on her honeymoon, he stuffed them into his pocket. All the items he had taken so far had held significant value to them as a couple and he hoped to poison Hotchner with them just like he had poisoned his brother into confessing to crimes he didn't commit.<p>

God, revenge never tasted so sweet…or smelled as fresh as the ocean breeze.

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><p>Hotch laid back on the couch as Jack slept on top of him. Just twenty minutes ago the little boy had been excited to stay up and watch the football game that Hotch had recorded on TiVo but it was barely the end of the first quarter and Jack was asleep.<p>

His mother slept through football too if it was any indication that Jack had obviously taken after Claire in the sporting department. But Hotch knew that Jack had mainly stayed up to be able to see him and if Jack fell asleep on him that was more than okay.

Claire stepped into the room and sat down in the chair by the window with a book.

"Ah! A man after my own heart!" She said as she smiled at Jack asleep as the home team scored a touchdown.

"The next one will like sports and stay awake for it. Just watch." Hotch said confidently.

Claire smiled and rested her hand on her tummy. At five months pregnant, they had both decided that they wanted this baby's gender to be a surprise. Both Marilyn and Maria had been disappointed that they weren't finding out the sex but it didn't stop them from buying things left and right for baby girls. Maria was confident that this baby would be a girl and Rossi was forced into agreeing with her to save part of his sanity and part of his bank account that Maria threatened to use if he didn't comply.

Even Jack voiced his opinions about wanting a little sister. The little boy was actively asking for a sister and Claire was running out of ideas to help him understand that she didn't know if it was a little brother or sister.

"Have you thought of any names yet Aaron?" she asked tucking her feet under her.

Hotch looked over at her and chuckled, "What about Apple Hotchner?"

Claire made a face as if she had just eaten something incredibly sour, "No strange baby names."

Taking a sip of the orange juice next to her, Claire started reading her book. She didn't mind the increase of fluid intake. She knew that she'd have to agree to drink more and eat more to stay healthy during this pregnancy but Jack was put out that she was drinking his orange and apple juices at an alarming rate to the little boy.

If there was one quality that Jack had from her it was that he had no qualms about voicing his displeasure to her about the 'juice issue' as she started calling.

"How about Madison for a girl's name? Madison Lindsey Hotchner has a nice ring to it. We could call her Maddy for short or something." Hotch suggested softly as he pulled the large quilt from the back of the coach and wrapped Jack up in it as the little boy gave a shiver.

Claire felt a happiness unlike anything else fill her as she watched Aaron snug Jack closer to him for warmth. Madison and Jack Hotchner…Maddy and Jack…

"I think that Madison is the perfect name." Claire said standing and walking over to kiss Jack, "But I still have a bone to pick with you about not telling me about JJ…"

Hotch smiled and chuckled nervously, "Would you believe me if I told you that I forgot?"

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><p><strong>Right, I know I kind of twisted time a little bit…Sorry to those I've upset. Anyways, leave a review! I have plenty of people reading and subscribing but maybe six reviews for the last three chapters? I know some of you have five seconds to leave a review! Please? I'll even promise to give out an extra chapter tonight if people leave a review!<strong>


	38. Chapter 38

**What a day! I know I promised this chapter last night but school was just too much and to top it all off some lady pulled out in front of me this morning and I hit her. Wasn't my fault though and I didn't get a ticket (Thank you God!) but still this week is just never ending...and it's only Wensday. I'm going to go crawl back into bed and sleep off the headache and backpain I have and I might post again tommorow. I make no promises..**

**Thanks to those who reviewed! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**PS- Time jump again...**

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><p><em>"If you want to be happy, be." ~Leo Tolstoy<em>

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Surprises**

_Monday…March 25…1:30PM…_

"I think that I'm going back to work at the BAU." Rossi said to Claire as they sat eating lunch. He was lucky that Claire hadn't been eating or she probably would have choked.

"What? You want to go back to work?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, I just…I don't know Claire…I miss it." Rossi said fishing for the right words.

Claire burst out laughing and held her side, "Dad I'm so happy!"

Rossi was confused by Claire's laughter, "What's so funny?"

"Maria said that you'd eventually go back to the BAU and that you were too much of a profiler to ever leave the job completely. She was right."

Rossi gave a small chuckle, "I suppose she was. I just miss my job Claire, that's all."

She nodded and looked at him, "I know dad. I want you to be happy and lately you've seemed off. I figure something was up. Do you want me to tell Aaron?"

"No, I think I will. Now that Gideon is gone they'll need a replacement and Strauss owes me a few favors. I figured I just join again and she'd have to assign me to the BAU. I've already started the paperwork for it and everything."

"You've really thought about this long and hard haven't you?" Claire said as their meals was delivered by the waiter.

"Yes I have and I know what I want."

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><p>He pulled open her underwear drawer and smiled. Running his hands through the silky undergarments he picked up the red lacey boy short and held them in one hand as he took out the matching lacey bra with the lace breast cups and body. He brought them to his face and inhaled deeply.<p>

Lavender…her underwear smelt like lavender in summer…

He quickly stuffed the underwear into the bag he'd brought with him and grabbed the silver nail polish in the corner of the drawer. He'd enjoy his release later as he watched their latest sexcapade that he'd recorded from the week before as he touched his favorite sexy red lingerie of Claire's.

Maybe he'd even use it like a rag later to clean up the mess.

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><p>A week later, Claire looked through her underwear drawer later that night for the silver nail polish as Aaron sat on the bed in just pajama bottoms as she tore apart the drawer.<p>

"I've looked everywhere!" Claire said throwing up her hands and shooting a glare at Hotch as he gave her a dimpled smile of amusement, "Nail polish bottles don't walk off. I keep losing everything I touch it seems. JJ even asked me if she could borrow one of Jack's old highchair's for Henry and I couldn't even find that for her."

"Sweetheart it's not a big deal. I'll just paint your toes a different color. How about red? And as for the highchair, it's in the attic which you will not even attempt to move. Have Will do it if JJ needs it that bad. Better yet, have Garcia buy them one." Hotch negotiated as he pulled her close and grabbed an ankle as Claire sat back against the head board and pillows.

She sighed and conceded into doing the red instead of the silver but there was still a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she couldn't find the nail polish that she'd seen less than a day ago. This incident almost reminded her of the binky issue they'd had when Jack had been a baby.

Maybe the stress of everything recently was turning her crazy or just the fact that soon she'd have to be taking care of another person besides Jack but whatever the reason, Claire felt like something was slowly slipping out of her grasp and a dreadful feeling had settled into the pit of her stomach and simply wouldn't leave her alone.

Aaron's voice jarred her out of her thoughts a little while later, "Your dad showed up in my office today. He's joined the team again and I think that Reid is about to die of happiness."

Claire giggled at the thought of Spencer Reid interrogating her father. That would be a sight that she'd pay good money to see.

"How did he behave? Did he get along well with the rest of the kids?"

Hotch chuckled as he finished her left foot and started on her right foot, "Yes he did manage not to kill anyone on the first day. It's the second day I'm worried about."

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><p><strong>Leave a review while I go off and sleep...<strong>


	39. Chapter 39

**Right so, I know I bitched last chapter about not updating again but I woke about and looked at my calander…HELLO, Criminal Minds airs tonight at nine! I CANNOT WAIT!**

**So in honor of the occasion, I've decide to post a chapter every hour leading up to the big premire. Corny I Know but hey, the idea makes me feel better and after the shitty day I've had I need to feel good…**

**Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter.**

**So all errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

**PS- Is the rumor true about Hotch getting a beard this season?**

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><p>"<em>The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." ~Mahatma Gandhi<br>_

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Work, work, work **

_Thursday…June 1…8:55PM…_

Claire sat at the kitchen table tired. She had been waiting for Aaron to come home and was close to being on her last nerve. She understood that work was picking up and since March he had practically been gone almost every week it seemed but right now he wasn't out of state or catching a bad guy. He was at work and should have been home hours ago in her mind. Having promised her he'd be home at six he was failing miserably at his timing because it was close to nine o'clock now. The baby inside her kicked as if knowing that his or her father was close by and seconds later lights could be seen through the window.

Hearing a car door slam outside, Claire jumped up and was at the front door opening it as Hotch reached for it. He paused in the door as Claire looked at him.

"I know I'm late and I'm sorry. I lost track of time Claire and it won't happen again." He said quietly.

She started at him and swallowed, "Yes it will and this cycle will continue. You'll say you'll say you're sorry and that you forgot and I'll forgive only until the next time. Just go eat your dinner. I don't feel like fighting with you because there isn't a point. I get angry and I don't like it. You just stand there and do nothing. It won't change. I don't know why each time I bother to hope Aaron because in the end all that happened is I feel crushed and have to console myself. Goodnight."

Claire climbed the stairs to their room without looking back and put his pillow, two sheets and a blanket outside the door along with a change of clothes.

She didn't want to be by him. He was hurting her and she needed to lick her wounds in private. The sane part of her argued that she was overreacting and that making him sleep on the couch would solve nothing and Aaron would only have a sore back in the morning. But the irrational part of her was cheering and happily dancing at the thought of him being miserable and uncomfortable for the night. Maybe he'd feel a third of what she felt in her heart every time he broke a promise to her and Jack. Maybe he'd eventually learn that she was just as important as the bad guys. Tears made trails down her cheeks as she lay down for the night. Claire didn't care if anyone heard her cry, she just needed to feel something other than disappointment and fear that was slowly eating her away.

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><p>When Aaron climbed the stairs an hour later he wasn't surprised to see his things sitting out in front of the door. It was nothing less then what he deserved but the sounds of Claire crying stopped him as he bent to pick up the blankets.<p>

Pressing his lips together, he turned and walked back down the hall to the living room. This was his job and the job included long hours. He worked his tail off for his family and he was frustrated that Claire couldn't understand that this was his life and he worked so that both she and Jack could have a roof over their head. Even with the new baby on the way things were going to be different. The BAU was becoming busier and busier and if that meant he would have less time with his family then so be it. Aaron had a job to do and a family to support.

Being home on time wasn't exactly a priority to him at the current moment in his hectic life. Neither was Claire and her tears at the moment as he set himself up on the couch. In the morning, he left without bothering her and Jack.

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><p>He smiled watching the video of Claire crying herself to sleep from the night before. Everything was working and soon everything would get much, much worse. Torture was more than just physical; it had a mental aspect to it that Claire was going to be experiencing real soon. The baby was due any day now and for the next three months he'd take Claire on the mental ride of her life. Agent Hotchner was just busy and stressed enough to ignore the fact that his wife was being torture slowly and surely to the point where when the time came that he'd have caught on it would be too late. Claire was going to be dead in three months time and he'd take the pleasure of being the one to slowly torture her to the very end.<p>

He'd already picked out her casket and the dress she'd be wearing. The location, the flowers, everything had been planned out to the finest detail and he'd only have to wait. In the meantime, he'd been killing his victims very carefully. Fine-tuning his style and work so that when it came time to end Claire's life, he'd do it perfectly and could relish the memory, photographs and videos forever had been his goal for several months now. It was safe to say that he was getting very close to the end where he'd final have his revenge on Aaron Hotchner.

Slowly walking into the house from the back deck, he inhaled the smell of fresh baked bread that Claire had made earlier before she'd taken Jack over to Laura's house for a play date with Tomas.

The kitchen was neat and orderly as he passed on his way up stairs to the bedroom and the new baby's nursery. It had been interesting to him how different the two pregnancy's had been. When Claire had been pregnant with Jack, Aaron Hotchner had taken an active role in everything from shopping to painting to even being semi close to present when Jack had been born. This time however, Hotchner's involvement was next to nothing. He'd barely touched any paint or furniture for the new baby and he barely touched Claire in the past few months. He had no sickly sweet moments capture via video, picture or microphone of Hotchner bonding at all with this baby like he had Jack.

It was sad to see such a sweet and beautiful family fall apart.

Reaching the new nursery, he took time to take a picture of every surface and item inside before moving down the hallway to the master bedroom. He walked into the closet and touched her clothes. His hand trailed over a black lace nightgown that he knew was Claire's favorite. Taking the nightgown and hanger, he smiled as he touched the silky fabric.

He'd stick it hard to Agent Hotchner.

Pushing past Hotchner's shirts, he smiled at the safe inside the wall. Putting in the combination, he heard the lock mechanism disable and the door cracked open. Looking inside he spotted the jewelry boxes that contain valuable things to them both…he'd be stealing those soon too.

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><p><strong>Leave a review and tell me what you think!<strong>


	40. Chapter 40

_"Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man." ~Rabindranath Tagore_

**Chapter Forty: Haunted**

_Wednesday…June 11…10AM…_

Claire was frustrated that she couldn't find Jack's shoes. Aaron had said that he'd take Jack to his friend's house but had instead woken up early with a call that he was needed at work. It was only when Mary Forster called saying that Harry was impatient for Jack to come over that she realized Aaron had forgotten to take Jack over. It was close to nine-thirty and she'd discovered that Jack had simply crawled into bed with her and was sleeping. She'd woke him up and they had both gotten dressed and did their morning activities like washing their face all in less than twenty minutes.

A sharp pain stopped her as she entered the dining room to look under the table for Jack's shoes. After a few seconds it passed and Claire closed her eyes silently praying that this baby didn't decide to makes his or her grand entrance early. She wasn't due till the twentieth of June.

More importantly Aaron wasn't there and she knew he would be devastated if he wasn't there for this baby's birth. He had almost missed Jack's and he vowed that he'd be there for this one. When she'd heard that he'd driven poor JJ to the hospital when she'd been in labor with Henry, she'd laughed. She would enjoy seeing her normally cool and calm husband being a little on edge. Though she doubted that anything would ever truly make Aaron lose his composure completely. She might still be mad at him for various reasons but it didn't mean that she didn't want him there with her when the time came. She'd need all the support she could get and he'd be a major source of strength to her.

Taking a deep breath again, Claire called for Jack and the little boy came running into the kitchen at breakneck speed. Stopping in front of her, he reached out a hand and tentatively touched her tummy. The baby inside her gave a sharp kick and Jack jumped away awed by the feeling. Claire laughed as Jack stared at his palm then back at her.

"Is it moving 'gain?" he asked.

"Yes the baby is moving. He or she is like you. They like to move around and wiggle a lot."

Jack giggled again and reached out to touch her again.

"When will my sister be here?"

"Soon, maybe by August." Claire said as another pain shot up her back, "Maybe sooner than that."

Jack nodded and held up his sandals, "Vanilla was sitting on them."

Laughing, Claire told Jack to go put his shoes on while she called Grandma Maria. Telling Maria of the pain that she'd just experienced, Claire was advised to drop Jack off and then come over to stay with Maria for the day just to be safe and know that incase she was really in labor that Maria would be there with her.

Hanging up the phone, Claire quickly put her things together and within five minutes of the conversation was backing out of the driveway with Jack in tow to go to his friend's house. Once she put the radio on for him, Jack was happily singing along with the children songs on his favorite CD while she tried to stay the fears that the baby was coming today of all days.

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><p>Hotch chuckled as he overheard the conversation between Reid and Garcia about him blinking. He remembered a similar conversation between him and Claire about it when they had first started dating. She'd teased him after he had stared down a young teenager that had been smoking a cigarette while filling up his gas tank.<p>

He'd been tempted to arrest the kid for just being a plain idiot but Claire had teased him that the staring had been enough.

"What's so funny?" Rossi asked as he sat down across from Hotch.

"According to Reid not blinking is alpha male behavior."

Rossi chuckled, "And he sees you as the alpha male in this situation I assume. Just remember that at work you're the alpha male but at home Claire's the alpha everything."

Hotch nodded and leaned back in his chair, his thoughts turning to home and his struggles there with balancing work and his family. He knew that he was dropping the ball there and even Claire had her limits which he suspected that he was getting dangerously close to testing. Even this morning he'd said that he'd take Jack to his friend's house for the day to give Claire a break but JJ had called at four am saying that there was a case. There had been no other option then to leave Jack and go into the BAU.

Looking down at the paperwork in front of him, Hotch grabbed his pen again and began filling out the papers.

"I'm surprised you haven't called Claire yet." Rossi commented.

"Why would I call her?" Hotch asked not looking up from his papers.

Rossi stared at his son-in-law realizing that Claire and him weren't on very good terms at the moment. When she had been pregnant with Jack, Aaron had called her at least twice a day to make sure that she was fine but this pregnancy had been different. Aaron didn't really call her while they were away, even in the hotel room he didn't bother to call. When Aaron had been in the shower once, Rossi had heard his phone beep and saw that he had four missed messages from Claire that had been ignored or unimportant at the time.

He couldn't decide whether to point out to Aaron that he was taking a dangerous path that could lead to the end of his marriage or just stay silent and let Claire and Aaron work it out on their own. He had no doubt that Claire was voicing to Aaron how she felt about everything. Nobody liked being ignored. Maybe he should just be the father and punch Hotch in the face. It would defiantly knock some sense into the young man.

"I don't know, maybe to call her and ask her how she's feeling. She is after all about to have a baby at any moment and probably wants maybe a little adult conversation. Being stuck with an almost three year old all day can be stressful not to mention a little tiring mentally and physically." Rossi said hoping that Hotch would take a hint.

Hotch looked up this time at Rossi cautiously. It was like he was trying to con him into doing something.

"I'll call her when we catch his guy. Till then my attention needs to be on this because believe me Dave, I worry about both of them and I can do anything from where I'm at right now."

"And if she calls? You'll just send her to voicemail?"

Hotch sighed, "No, if I can pick up then I will but at this point I really can't pick up for her."

Morgan approached them both, "We ready to give the profile?"

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><p>Laura held Claire's hand as she felt another contraction pass over her. She breathed through it like she was supposed to but it didn't really help. It still hurt and she was still wondering where the hell Aaron was. Marilyn had picked Jack up for his friend's house before dinner and was taking care of him for the night while Claire was in the hospital. Right now it seemed that Aaron was on everyone's shit list including his mother's. Maria had tried calling him around two o'clock when it had been confirmed that she was really in labor but he hadn't picked up. Instead Maria had tried Rossi and even he hadn't picked up.<p>

It was close to nine o'clock at night and neither man had picked up the phone. Claire breathed again as the contraction ended and she was able to relax for a little while.

"Can you pass me the phone?" she said to Laura who was getting impatient and frustrated with Aaron and Rossi herself.

Laura had been the best friend in the world and had come to Claire's aid when she'd heard that Claire was in labor and needed someone to be with her at the hospital through this whole process. Laura had just about flipped when she'd heard that Claire was close to calling Sean in New York to come be with her.

Laura passed the phone to her with a smile and she dialed the one person who she knew for sure could get a hold of Aaron.

"Speak oh great goddess momma Hotchner! What can I do for you?" Garcia's bubbly voice said as Claire smiled at her end. It was the happiest voice today that she had heard.

"Garcia I need you to get a hold of Aaron for me. It's urgent." Claire said as she gritted her teeth as she felt another contraction pass.

"Oh my god! Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?"

Claire didn't speak as Laura took the phone from her and explained the situation to Garcia. Maria rubbed Claire's back a coached her through the breathing.

"I'm impressed you decided not to take any pain killers." Maria whispered as she hugged Claire.

"If I'm in pain I'm not thinking about Aaron and whatever dangerous thing he's chasing after instead of being here with me. I just want him here for me once Maria and not giving himself completely to another thing. I know how much he loves his job but it hurts inside every time he breaks promises or pushes Jack and me away. I used to think that all my stepmothers didn't love my father at all when they divorced him but now I know that they just figured out that they couldn't compete with his first love of catching criminals. I'm beginning to see that about Aaron. I'm just not his first love. I'm towards the end of the list." Claire cried into Maria's shoulder as the elderly woman held her.

Kissing her head like she was a little girl, Maria gently sang to Claire an old Italian lullaby hoping that it would help to calm her down.

The hour passed quickly and Claire could feel the contractions getting closer together. She knew deep down that Aaron wouldn't make it to the hospital on time to see this baby born.

It was close to midnight when Gina announced that she was fully dilated and it was time to push. Claire was never so happy to be in pain. It meant that this was almost over and she could meet the newest addition to the family.

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><p>It was close to midnight as the plane lifted off Kentucky soil to go back to DC. Everyone was tired and wanted to go home and sleep for a few hours before having to get back up again tomorrow and repeat this whole thing.<p>

Hotch held his phone in his hand and opened it. Hitting the silencing button he closed it and set it down inside his brief case. He knew that he had promised to call Claire but it was late and even though she'd called him multiple times already, he didn't have the energy to listen to the voicemails or call her back. Leaning back in the chair, he closed his eyes and fell asleep oblivious to the fact that he was close to becoming a father for a second time.

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><p>Garcia slammed the receiver down and let out a frustrated yelp. She'd tried the whole team multiple times and had gotten everyone's voicemails. No one was picking up and Claire was in labor without anyone from the BAU family to support her. Grabbing her sweater, Garcia knew that if Aaron Hotchner could be present he'd at least have pictures and evidence of the first few moment of his second baby's life. With that Garcia grabbed her camera and slammed her office door behind her.<p>

Garcia arrived just in the nick of time as Claire began pushing. Garcia, Laura and Maria all supported Claire as she pushed for close to a half hour before her little girl made her first appearance in the world screaming and crying at the cold. Garcia took pictures as the little girl's umbilical cord was cut and she was clean and wrapped up warm in a blanket and given a pink hat.

Taking a pick of an exhausted looking Claire and a sleeping baby girl Hotchner, Garcia sent the picture to Hotch's phone.

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><p>Claire smiled down at her daughter as she nursed her. A part of her was very happy and bursting at the seams but another part of her was very depressed and disappointed that Aaron wasn't there with her. She and Laura had counted all of Madison's fingers and toes but while she had felt love fill her heart, another part of her wished it had been Aaron with her counting them. She wished it had been Aaron with her in that first picture that Garcia had taken of her and Madison.<p>

Somehow, Claire found herself wondering if marrying Aaron had been the right choice. Had she just been silly and naive enough to think that things could honestly work out between her and Aaron's relationship and his job? It was sitting in the hospital bed alone with Madison who was less than an hour old that the thought struck her of how alone she felt. Sure she had her friends but they weren't the father of the baby in her arms or of Jack. Pushing away those ugly thoughts, Claire reasoned with herself that she had just had a baby and that her whole mind and body was out of whack.

But a small voice inside asked how long could she continue to lie to herself? Till something so horrific happened that it jarred her into reality? Till the pain of her children crying at night for their father became too much to bare? Till the pain of not having her husband around drove her to break the most sacred promises that she held dear to herself of love, honor and be faithful?

With the doubt in her mind, Claire gently put Madison into her bassinet and closed her eyes to try and sleep with the most bittersweet feelings of sadness inside her.

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><p>LEAVE A REVEIW!<p> 


	41. Chapter 41

**Right, so last update of the night because my mother called and is insisting that my brother Andrew take me to the ER after my accident earlier, (for full details read my AN from like Chapter 38 or 39.) Enjoy the season premire because I have to go sit in the ER for the next few hours while do all their tests and tell me that I have a bad case of whip lash...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"A baby is an angel whose wings decrease as his legs increase." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Forty-One: Loathing**

_June 12…1:30AM…_

Aaron Hotchner stepped off the jet followed by Rossi and descended the stairs. Walking towards his car, Rossi followed. Having agreed to give Rossi a ride home because the man complained of poor vision at night, Hotch knew he was about to get his ass kicked verbally by a very concerned father. He knew he was probably deserving of it but he was still pissed that he was about to have another person on his ass about something he was desperately trying to fix and slowly running out of ideas on how to appease all parties involved.

He was making sacrifices to his family and himself. He didn't need Rossi telling him that he was failing miserable on the home front. He was to the point of hating himself sometimes when he saw that disappointment in Jack's eyes and Claire's smiles. He was trying his hardest and it wasn't good enough.

Rossi grabbed Hotch's shoulder and pulled the man into a side hug as they walked, "I know you think I'm going to kick your ass but I'm not. Trust me, I want to but I know that it won't solve anything except for pissing Claire off and we both don't want that. All I'm going to say is that you've been working hard to try and balance everything out and someday you'll get it. It took a long time for me to find a rhythm with Claire and Maria. You'll find one soon enough and you can stop beating yourself up about it. You've always been good at stuffing down your emotions but you really can't hide them from someone whose know you for over a decade."

Hotch was taken aback by those words but before he could say anything Morgan's voice drifted across the airstrip.

"Baby Girl says to check your phone now Hotch! Said that something important is on it!" he yelled as he held the phone to his ear listening to what Garcia said.

Opening his trunk, Hotch put his go-bag down and his brief case. Pulling out his phone he noted several missed calls and messages. Opening the most recent one he nearly dropped the phone when he saw the picture and message.

_Madison Hotchner! Born 11:55PM weighting 6 pounds 4 ounces, 17 inches long and a perfect baby according to the doctors. CALL US ASAP! At Saint Mercy's btw:)_

Staring at him was a picture of Claire gazing down at a new born baby and smiling. Garcia had obviously changed the coloring of it to be grey. He suddenly felt disappointment. Madison was in the world at that very second and he had been asleep on a plane when she had been born.

"Well I guess everyone's going to the hospital." Rossi commented as he listened to JJ and Reid agree to ride with Prentiss and Morgan to the hospital so that they could pick up Garcia.

"I missed it." Hotch said in shock quietly.

Rossi didn't say anything as he got into the driver's seat and watched Hotch sit in the passenger's seat still looking at the phone. He knew it would be a silent trip seeing as how nothing could distract Aaron Hotchner from the picture of his new born daughter.

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><p>Stepping off the elevator of the maternity ward, Garcia and Maria greeted the team with a smile. Laura, however, looked at Hotch with dislike before announcing that she was going home and would stop by tomorrow morning to see if Claire needed any <em>support<em>. Hotch tried not to wince when she said that word because they both knew that she was implying that he wouldn't be there for Claire. Part of him knew she had every right to assume that and the other part resented her for saying those words.

Garcia quickly guided the group to the waiting room and started showing them pictures and such from earlier in the evening. Instead of following, Hotch went to the nurse's station and asked for Claire Hotchner's room number.

Walking to the room that the nurse gave, he stopped when he saw a trolley of stuffed animals and a volunteer selling them. He spotted a little stuffed lamb at the bottom and smiled. Jack had his stuffed animal, now Madison would have hers too. Paying for it, Hotch held the lamb in his hand as he enter the room and saw Claire sitting up holding Madison in her arms.

Claire looked up as the door squeaked and he walked inside. The moment was awkward for just one moment before she gave him a sad smile and patted the spot on the bed next to her.

"I knew Garcia would get a hold of you somehow."

Hotch frowned and sat down on the bed, "Garcia shouldn't have to get a hold of me for you. I should have been here."

Claire knew that he was probably full of self loathing and disappointment that he'd missed this. Instead of telling him how she'd felt earlier and how insecure she felt about their marriage and them as a couple and their future, she choose to gently hand him Madison to hold.

"She's so beautiful." He said softly as he gently settled her into his arms, "Hi Madison..."

Madison's eyes opened up and stared up at him sleepily before she fell back asleep. Her skin was pink and soft. Black hair sprinkled her head softly just like it had done with Jack when he'd been a baby. She looked perfect in every way to him…she was his little girl.

A feeling of love washed over Hotch as he looked down at Madison silently promising himself that he'd protect her from everything in the world.

Was this how Rossi felt some times? The need to protect his little girl from the pain of everything in the world?

Hotch gently moved Madison's blanket and held each of her little hands in his as he counted her fingers and moved carefully on to her toes.

Watching Aaron gently cradle the little girl in his arms and the tearful smile on his face made Claire resolve to fight for their marriage and family rather than to simply give up like she'd felt doing earlier. She knew what it felt like to grow up with hardly any parents and she didn't want her children not to have a relationship with their father because she felt like giving up on him. Aaron wasn't a lost cause; he was just lost and misguided. He needed them as much as they needed him and if that wasn't worth fighting for then she didn't know what was.

Earlier Laura had urged her to leave him. To take her things and leave him for good because Aaron was a bad husband and father, but sitting there, the three of them together on the bed, Claire knew that Aaron had so much love to give that he just didn't know how to express it.

He was worth any pain in the world and to see him smile with his dimples at his children was something Claire was fully prepared and ready to fight for, even if it killed her.

"Is this Lambie?" she asked quietly touching the stuffed animal on the bed.

"I figured that since I got Jack a stuffed animal, it was only fair that I bought Madison one." Hotch said as he pressed a kiss Madison's head. Claire chuckled, "All ready fighting sibling rivalry I see."

Hotch just grinned and wrapped an arm around Claire shoulder kissing her head.

A knock on the door interrupted the family as Rossi and the team stepped in all anxious to see the littlest Hotchner. They stayed for only ten minutes seeing as how everyone was exhausted.

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><p>Hotch sat in the chair smiling to himself as his two girls slept soundly in their beds, exhausted from their day. It was only then as he was falling asleep that he realized he'd never asked where Jack or his mother was.<p>

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><p><strong>Madison Hotchner made it! Leave a review!<strong>


	42. Chapter 42

**Hey Guys, this is Andy, M's brother. She asked if I'd update the next two chapter for her and I am. She probably will be out of commision for the next few days. According to the doctor she hit her head so hard on the window that she literally bruised her brain and was lucky that she was wearing her seat belt because it could have been a lot worse seeing as how her airbags didn't go off. Anyway, thanks to everyone who left reviews wishing her well, I know that she really liked seeing them last night. **

**Like I said she's out for a few days, doc gave her the nice narcodic painkillers and she's been sleeping for the last twelve plus hours. **

**Enjoy the chapter and leave a reveiw!**

**Andy**

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><p><strong>Chapter Forty-Two: Short Lived<strong>

_One week later…June 18…8:30PM…_

He scowled as he watched Aaron Hotchner walk around the dimmed kitchen gently holding a goddamned fussy baby. He'd seen earlier on his cameras that Claire was upstairs with Jack reading a story.

Oh how that little week old bitch annoyed him. She was up all hours of the night crying and whatever else she did. It was hard to break into the house again. He wanted to be inside the house again and be with Claire's things but someone was always awake and it was driving him insane.

He'd wait till they were all asleep and steal his next prized value. Oh he'd let them have their week of peace but it was only short lived. His reign of terror was just about to begin.

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><p>"Shh…sweetheart everything's alright it's just Vanilla and he won't hurt you. I promise…" Hotch murmured gently to Madison as she calmed down in his arms.<p>

Claire came into the kitchen dressed in a t-shirt and shorts carrying a basket of laundry.

"Is she alright?"

"Yeah, I just don't think she liked hearing Vanilla bark." Hotch said quietly as he continued to walk back and forth between the sink and the far wall of the kitchen.

The dog had barked at something in the back yard earlier and Madison had been upset ever since. Hotch didn't like having put to the dog in his cage in the backroom room but Madison's peace of mind came first and she was obviously distressed by the foreign noise. Having spent the first few days of her life in a quiet hospital, coming home to a house full of different noises was hard to adapt to Hotch imagined. As Madison gave one last hiccup, Hotch carried her upstairs and put her to bed.

Watching her sleep for a few minutes, Hotch kissed her head before turning the light off and cracking the door. Walking to the door across the hall, Hotch opened the door and kissed a half asleep Jack goodnight. His son reached out for him and grasped his pant leg. Crouching down next to the bed, Jack moved and kissed his cheek and hugged him. Hugging his son back, Hotch closed his eyes and sealed the moment in his mind. Some memories he never wanted to forget and this was one of them.

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><p>He opened the back door of the house and crept in. Cracking the door behind him, he walked into the living and smiled as he spotted the Tom and Jerry cartoon box set on the lowest shelf. Picking it up, he opened it and checked making sure all the dvds were there before he crept back out of the house making his presence known…<p>

He didn't lock the door behind him.

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><p>It was still early but Claire had woken up with Hotch anyway. He'd taken time off but they both knew that he needed to go back to work to get paid. It was an unspoken agreement between the two even though Hotch wanted nothing more than to stay at home with his family and enjoy Madison's second week, he had to go back.<p>

Watching her husband back out of the driveway, Claire smiled and waved. She heard a giggle from behind her and saw Jack come running up to stand beside her. Holding hands, the both waved at Aaron who waved back and pulled away. Jack ran into the living room babbling away about Tom and Jerry while Vanilla pawed at the back door. Opening the French door, Claire paused and turned the knob. It was strange, she'd watched Aaron lock it the night before after he'd put Madison down and said goodnight to Jack. Quickly glancing around, she noted that nothing was out of place that she could see. Letting Vanilla out, she told herself that maybe Aaron had unlocked earlier before he left knowing that Vanilla needed to go out.

Jack's laughter could be heard from the living room and Vanilla walked back into the house waiting for Claire to close the door. Telling herself again not to panic, she made a mental note to tell Aaron when he got home that the door was unlocked when it should have been locked.

Joining Jack in the living room, they both watched the television till the phone rang an hour later. It was Aaron calling saying that he had a case and wouldn't be home. He sounded so rushed that Claire never got the chance to tell him about the door. She only managed to say that she loved him before he hung up on her. Frustrated, she and Jack decided that they needed more Tom and Jerry before Madison woke up.

The thing that freaked Claire out the most was that the Tom and Jerry box set that should have been on the bottom shelf was gone and nothing else from the living room was missing or out of place. A shiver went up her spine as she looked around her. The very idea that someone had been in their house while her children had been asleep up stairs made her sick.

Madison's crying was a blessed relief from her tortured thoughts as Jack begged to help dress Madison for the day. Focusing on Jack and Madison was the best way to get the horrific thoughts that were running rampant through her mind.

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><p>Aaron Hotchner smiled down at the picture of Madison and Jack together. Well, it was really Jack holding Madison at the hospital. His children would probably be asleep in bed by now but he still missed them with a new found ache in his chest. Shutting off the phone he looked back to Prentiss wearing his usual mask of unreadable emotions.<p>

"How's Madison?" Prentiss asked smiling back at him in a friendly way. She'd always talked about wanting children but being a parent himself in the BAU, Hotch discouraged her. He'd told her needed to know that Emily was committed to the team but in truth he didn't want Emily to experience the guilty nights and broken hearted faces of a child on a daily basis. Nor did he want her children to have the loneliness in their hearts that he knew Claire had suffered as an only child of a single parent BAU member. He knew that it wasn't his place but he liked Prentiss like the little sister he never had and call it his protective instinct but JJ, Emily and Penelope were all special to him like little sisters.

"She's good. Doesn't like the fact that Vanilla barked or that Jack laughs loudly but I think she's getting used to it slowly but surely." He said with a small smile.

Emily and JJ laughed.

"No baby likes anything that interrupts his or her sleep Hotch." JJ said after she'd managed to stop laughing.

"I just don't remember Jack ever being as sensitive a sleeper as Maddy. Jack slept through anything where as a mouse moves and Maddy's awake."

Emily shook her head, "Your poor wife Hotch."

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><p><strong>LEAVE A REVIEW!<strong>


	43. Chapter 43

**Hey Guy's Andy here with the next update. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Forty-Three: Bad Things Happen to Good People**

Claire sat down on the edge of the bed as she heard the shower running. It had been two weeks since the door issue and in those two weeks she had become more and more nervous about the situation. Yesterday she had noticed that someone had rearranged the order of the spices in the cupboard. The day before that someone had rearranged the pillows on her and Aaron's bed. On Saturday, the laundry had been bleached by someone and all the colored shirts that had been in the wash were ruined.

It was unexplainable but Claire couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that had been washing over her in floods since that day that Tom and Jerry had gone missing. In the past month since Madison had been born Aaron hadn't been home much and she hadn't been able to tell him how she felt but the anxiety was beginning to affect her more and more. She'd been snapping lately at Jack when he moved something and didn't put it back. Yesterday she'd gotten angry with the fact that Jack wanted to show her something, Madison had been crying and the phone ringing and Vanilla barking that she'd gone ballistic at him and he'd spent the rest of the day avoiding her from fear.

She was ashamed that her son had avoided her from fear. She'd done her best to make it up to Jack by taking him to the park and playing tag with him like he enjoyed doing but he'd still been treading lightly around her and she hated it.

Laying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Claire listened to the house as she did most nights Aaron wasn't home. Sometimes she couldn't even sleep the stress of everything was overwhelming.

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><p>He smiled at the camera as he watched her breath in and out. He was finally getting to her. She was slowly cracking and he was enjoying it so much. Claire snapping at Jack had been the high of his day and the look on her face when things had been moved was delightful. He already knew what Agent Hotchner would say. Hotchner would tell Claire that she had nothing to worry about and that she was just overwhelmed with taking care of two small children and being home by alone.<p>

Watching her squirm had been his favorite part.

Looking down at the pictures in his hands he resisted the urge to crumple up the ultra sound pictures of the Hotchner bastards. He'd taken them earlier from the top drawer of Hotchner's nightstand. It been interesting what had been inside the drawer.

A book and the ultrasound photos, a flashlight and the box where he kept his gun was all that was inside. It was impersonal like the man hardly lived there in his mind. But then again, Agent Hotchner didn't have much of a personality so neither would his nightstand. Smiling, he watched again as Hotchner walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where Claire laid on the bed.

And his predictions were right as he listened to the conversation.

Claire explained to Agent Hotchner about the rearranged things and the back door being unlocked. She told him about snapping at that little brat and the bleached laundry.

Hotchner replied that in each incident Claire was exhausted. She could have easily added bleach instead of the detergent. Jack could have jumped on their bed and messed up the pillows. He could have moved the spices when he went to go make coffee the other morning. His solution to the Tom and Jerry incident was that it was obliviously moved. Jack might have taken it with him when he stopped by the house with his grandmother the night Madison was born and just neglected to return it or it was still at his mother's house.

Every answer seemed plausible and he watched as Hotchner hugged his Claire and tell her that all she needed was a few nights of honest sleep and she'd feel better, more like herself.

He'd lay off he decided…for now. He'd let Claire think that everything was alright and that it was all just in her head but it wouldn't be for long…he had a time schedule to keep.

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><p>Claire stared up at the ceiling as she laid in bed a few days later. Though Aaron had given her a plausible explanation for everything, something was off. It was as if a part of her knew that something was seriously wrong. Call it mother intuition but her body couldn't relax. It was aware of ever sound, creak, fluttering in the house. Even with Aaron home something felt different.<p>

Turning on to her side she stared out the window. She felt like at that very moment someone was watching her. It was as if someone's eyes were burning into her and she couldn't stop it.

Sitting up in bed, Claire mumbled herself about a glass of water. She grabbed her robe off the footboard and moved in the dark. The house was silent once she closed the door to their room and Aaron's mild snoring. Checking in on both Jack and Madison she crept down stairs using the various night lights that she had put in for Jack and walked into the kitchen. Flipping on the lights she stopped dead in her tracks.

A glass of water was already sitting out by itself on counter.

Claire looked around her feeling her heart pounding in her chest. She stared at it for a moment before taking a step to it and stopping.

Nothing had been on the counter earlier had it?

No, she'd gone to bed after finishing the dishes and there hadn't been a single glass of water sitting out.

Maybe Aaron had gotten it?

Maybe she was exhausted and was seeing things?

Maybe…

Claire grabbed the glass of water and poured the water down the sink and dropped the glass in the garbage can. She didn't bother with getting a drink. Her heart was pounding and she felt terror in her blood. Aaron's words in the back of her mind kept playing about her being exhausted came up and she latched herself onto those words and quickly climbed the stairs checking on Jack and Madison before getting into bed and closing her eyes tight. She kept praying for that memory of the glass of water would vanish from her mind and never return.

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><p>He quietly turned the doorknob in the pantry and let the door slowly open. He smiled as he walked into the kitchen carrying a dried rose from the down stairs bathroom that Hotchner had moved off his nightstand months ago and Vanilla's old dog collar. He felt giddy as a child and couldn't wait to watch her reaction to the glass of water.<p>

When he'd been upstairs watching the children he'd heard her talking to herself about getting a glass of water and the idea of freaking her out had been too much to pass up.

He walked to the French doors and made sure to relock them. Taking one last look at the kitchen he smirked and quietly closed the door before running off into the woods behind the house.

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><p><strong>LEAVE A REVIEW! THANKS, ANDY<strong>


	44. Chapter 44

**Andy here again...being ordered around by a little sister on vicodin is my life's ambition...enjoy.**

**Chapter Forty-Four: No One in the World**

_Wednesday…August 23…2:35PM..._

Aaron Hotchner sat in David Rossi office with the door locked having a conversation he'd never thought he'd have.

"Maybe this is some form of postpartum depression." Rossi supplied quietly, "You said that she's irritable, having trouble sleeping, she's withdrawn, having so much anxiety that she can't cope to a degree and loss of energy. Those are text book signs of postpartum."

Hotch leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. This might be the answer to Claire's strange behavior as of late. She hadn't been sleeping since Madison had been born, not to mention her anxiety. Hotch had never seen her as anxious as this or as irritable ever.

"How do we tell her?" Hotch asked quietly knowing that Claire wasn't going to like being told that they thought she was depressed.

"I'll come over to your house this evening with Maria. She can take the kids to the park while you and I talk with Claire. It's probably better if she hears it from both of us. We need to tell her that we love her and care about her. Her health is important to us and so is her happiness. We just need to be honest with her Aaron and help her to see that there is a problem with her recent behavior and she's not alone."

Hotch nodded quietly and stood, "I'll call Claire and tell her that you're coming over."

"Tell her that Maria and I'll be dinner. She doesn't need to worry about anything." Rossi said quietly as he picked up the phone, "I'll have Maria make Claire's favorite chocolate pie. Maybe that will butter her up."

Hotch nodded and left for his office. Closing the door behind him, Hotch reached for the phone and dialed his house. The phone rang and Hotch glanced out on the rainy sky.

"Hello?" Claire's quiet voice answered cautiously.

"It's Aaron. I was hoping you had a minute."

"A yeah, is everything okay? You never call in the middle of the day." Claire said softly.

Hotch closed his eyes at that statement. It was true. He rarely called her to simply talk to her. Instead of springing the fact that Rossi would be over this evening he took a different approach.

"How has your day been?" he asked quietly.

She didn't reply right away but she answered after a few seconds, "It's been alright. Jack and I went to the park this morning and he's fascinated by Madison's new ability to push herself up. I think he's still in denial that he was ever that small."

The sound in her voice when she talked about their children was happy. For the first time in a longtime Claire sounded happy.

All because he'd asked her about her day, not where something was or to help him with something that the kids needed or he needed.

"It's hard to believe that he was that small once." Hotch said reliving the memories of Jack being a little more than one month old.

"I know. He'll be three this year. I keep asking myself where the time went."

Hotch chuckled, "It speeds up with time as your dad constantly told me when I first joined the BAU. You start forgetting things and your mind."

And just like that Hotch could sense Claire's shift of personality on the phone.

"I know you didn't call to ask me about my day, so what's up?" Claire said.

Hotch winced at that she didn't say anything hurtful but the way it came out hurt.

"Your dad and Maria wanted to have dinner and I invited them over for tonight, I hope that's okay?"

Claire quickly reassured him that it was perfectly fine and that she had to go because Madison was waking up to early from her nap. They both said goodbye and hung up.

It didn't dawn on Hotch until he sat down that he'd never told Claire that he loved her when he was on the phone with her at work or even when she called and he was away on cases. She had often when said she loved him when she said goodbye when they had first started dating but had eventually stopped saying it because he never said it back.

Leaning back in his chair, Aaron Hotchner was beginning to see a picture of his marriage and his life that he didn't exactly like. He wanted to change things but he wasn't quite sure how to close the distance between him and Claire. It was like the Atlantic Ocean was between them.

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><p>Hotch smiled at Claire as he pulled into the driveway at four-thirty. She held Madison who was dressed in a pink dress with white polka bots all over it and a cute white head band. Claire was talking to Cindy Hamsburg and Sharon Barton, both of whom lived across the circle them. The woman seemed to be waiting for something as they all stood there in the Hotchner lawn. As Hotch got out of the car he could see the school bus stop at the end of the street and five kids step of the bus all varying in different size, shape and color.<p>

Claire nodded to the two women who were sharing a story. She looked uncomfortable and tried. Her shoulders slouched more than they should and the rocking back and forth on her heels suggested that Claire was anxious. When Claire caught sight of him stepping out of his car her jaw dropped literally.

She stared at him for a few seconds before all the children came running over and greeted their respective mother. Claire took the chance and slipped away.

"What's going on?" Claire said as she approached him, "Why are you home so early? Maria called saying that dinner was at six."

Hotch chose to ignore her questions and took Madison from her. Kissing the baby's head Hotch tucked his daughter into him as he leaned down and kissed Claire.

He was catching her by surprise a lot for simple things like kissing her or even coming home early. Somewhere in the back of Hotch's mind it concerned him that she was so surprised by his affection. He tried to think about the last time they'd actually been intimate and he was ashamed to know that it had been such a long time. Between traveling and two young children that part of their lives had faded into the background. He told himself that he and Claire would renew that part as soon as the doctor cleared her for physical activity.

"Where's Jack?" Hotch asked as he walked towards the front door with Madison looking around him content in his arms. This was the first time this week that he'd held his daughter and he was surprised that she even knew who he was. He hadn't spent any time with her or his son for that matter and guilt crept up in his mind.

"He's playing with Vanilla inside." Claire said as he held open the screen door for her and they stepped inside.

"Jack, guess who's here." Claire called to their son who was sitting on the floor in the living room petting Vanilla.

"Daddy!" Jack called his voice full of joy as a grin of happiness washed over him.

Jack shot himself over to Hotch and hugged his legs. Hotch smiled and managed to give the boy a half hug.

"Why don't we go to the living room and you can show me what you and mommy colored today." Hotch said as Jack looked up in amazement at him.

Nodding, Jack quickly grabbed Hotch's hand and pulled him into the living room with Madison watching everything with a sleepy look on her face.

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><p>Claire smiled and waved at Jack as he climbed into the back seat of Rossi's car with Maria. When Rossi asked Jack if he wanted to go to the park with Maria, it'd been an instant yes. Maria had volunteered to take both Jack and Madison to the park insisting that she hadn't spent nearly as much time with them as she'd like to. Turning back around and shutting the front door behind her, Claire smiled at Rossi as he stole another slice of pie.<p>

"Hey! I thought that it was my pie. You already had your slices!" She teased as she moved the pie from the dining room to the kitchen where Aaron was drying dishes.

"It's yours when I leave. Till then I can have as many slices as I want." Rossi replied with a smile.

Claire just shook her head as both Aaron and Rossi made eye contact and silently agreed to bring up their concerns to Claire now.

"Could we go sit in the living room?" Hotch said quietly, "Your dad and I want to talk to you."

Claire nodded and dropped the dish towel in the sink. The three of them moved to the living room. Claire sat down on the couch as Aaron stood by the window and Rossi sat down in the chair across the coffee table from her.

"What do you want to talk about?" Claire asked suddenly feeling like a little girl who had done something wrong and was about to be scolded. She could feel the anxiety that seemed to be constantly plaguing her rise up again in her chest as she waited quietly for someone to speak.

Rossi leaned forward and rested his elbows on knees looking at his little girl. Her body was tense and the way she twisted her fingers was a sure sign of anxiety. Taking a deep breath he looked at Aaron who nodded. They were doing this because they loved Claire.

"We wanted to talk about you actually." Rossi said starting off gently, "We've been worried about you Claire. You haven't been sleeping and you look thinner than before you even had Jack or Madison. We also noticed that you've been irritable and have a lot of anxiety. Talking with Aaron and what he's seen of you Claire, we're just worried that maybe you're depressed about something-"

"I'm not suffering from postpartum depression." Claire snapped at Rossi, "I'm just worried because things recently have been out of place and missing."

Rossi took a deep breath, "Claire you're the mother of two young children. There are things that are obliviously going to go missing or be moved. Please be realistic about this. I know you've told Aaron that you're worried about this but you're not sleeping during the night and you're exhausted. It's your mind playing tricks on you. You're torturing yourself Claire. High anxiety, loss of appetite, insomnia and irritability are all symptoms of postpartum depression. There's nothing wrong with having it if that's what you're worried about."

"I'm not depressed!" Claire said raising her voice. She was frustrated that neither Aaron nor her father believed her, "Things around her have gone missing and forgive me if that makes me a little anxious."

"Claire the doors are locked at night. Nothing is happening in this house. Please just let us take you to a doctor and see if he thinks that you're having post-"

"Say that word Aaron and you can sleep on the couch again." Claire snarled at Hotch.

He crossed his arms across his chest and gazed at her. He was no longer her husband but Agent Hotchner instead.

"Claire nothing is happening. What is happening is that you're snapping at Jack and being a complete bitch to everyone in this room who is trying to look out for you because we love you. Maddy and Jack both need their mother and we're just asking you to get help because we're worried that this is affecting your care of Jack and Madison." Hotch said becoming frustrated that Claire wouldn't let the missing objects drop. Everything these days seemed to be about items in the house moving or being rearranged or something along those lines.

Claire started at Aaron a tear falling down her cheek. In the five years that they'd been married he'd never called her any foul name. It was a shock to hear Aaron say that to her as she stared blankly at him. How could he claim that she couldn't care for her children when he wasn't even around them?

"Claire I just want to-" Hotch tried again realizing that he'd probably said the wrong thing but was cut off by Claire.

"You're not here Aaron. You've never been here and I'm so sick of this act that you play with me that you know everything about what happens here. You don't get it, do you? Why can't you believe me when I say that things are happening here?" Claire said as her voice cracked from the strain of the emotion.

"I don't think that anyone is breaking in here Claire because there's no evidence of that and everything that's happening with you can be explained by postpartum depression." He said.

Claire couldn't take it and grabbed the closest pillow and threw it at him.

"I can't do this anymore. You put the kids to bed and walk in my shoes for a day. I'd love to go back to work and be around adults not little carbon copies of you when I want the real thing! I'm leaving for the night because I can't believe you would sit here and not believe me!" She yelled at Aaron, "It's like talking to the wall with you. I'm voicing to you both that I'm not depressed and you keep dismissing it and profiling me instead like I'm some case. I don't want to be around you anymore Aaron Hotchner. Just go work on a goddamned case and ignore me like you've been doing for the longest time. I'm sick of being married to a bastard like you! You don't even make the effort to listen anymore! You just assume that you know everything!"

Claire stormed out of the house with her keys and got into her car. She didn't bother grabbing clothes or the necessities. Turning the keys in the ignition, she backed out of the driveway happy to be out of the house and by herself.

She wasn't sure how far she drove but it was close to eleven when she pulled off the road at a country bed and breakfast. Paying for the night, Claire cried herself to sleep thinking that maybe her marriage really was over and that she needed to move on from Aaron. Maybe losing this battle was alright. She was tired of living like this and wanted out.

Maybe it was time to get out now while she still had the chance…no one in the world was going to save her but herself.

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><p>He smiled as he watched the video feed. She was definitely cracking and falling apart. It had been smart to fix everything before Agent Hotchner had noticed anything was missed placed. His plans were moving along perfectly and driving the wedge between them was all a part of the game.<p>

He wanted Aaron Hotchner so guilty that the man would never forgive himself for not listening to Claire. He'd laughed when Hotchner had called Claire a bitch. It was the first time that he'd ever called Claire any name and it seemed appropriate.

Claire had been a bitch for almost a few weeks now. No sleep and being constantly terrorized did that to some people.

Putting his feet up on the table, he watched again as Claire and Aaron fought with each other…she wasn't depressed…not at all…just scared for her life...

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><p><strong>LEAVE A REVIEW!<strong>


	45. Chapter 45

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to everyone who left a review! I feel like I've been kind of off with my postings and with you guys. LOL two vicodin every six hours kind of leaves me feeling a bit like House...**

**Thanks to everyone who has reveiwed the past few chapters, I know it's been kind of crazy with postings. **

**Thanks to my brother Andrew who kicked ass at figuring out how to post...**

**Anyways, all errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Newlyweds become oldyweds, and oldyweds are the reasons that families work." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Forty-Five: Heartless**

_Thursday…August 24…8AM…_

Hotch sat down at his desk and looked at the stack of papers on it. He wanted to work but his mind was full of worry for Claire. Where was she? Was she alright? Was she safe?

He suddenly felt like the world's biggest failure and closed his eyes. JJ knocked on his door.

"Hey, we have a case." She said before stepping out of the office and walking down the hall. Just as Hotch stood to leave, Laura walked into his office dressed in a tight pencil skirt and blue blouse. She looked every inch the formidable divorce attorney she was. She was an attractive woman who made grown men cry sometimes.

But Laura had never really liked him as his and Claire's relationship progressed and he knew why.

He was never there for Claire in her mind. He always fell just short of the line in Laura's book.

"Aaron." She greeted without hiding the distain from her voice, "I'm supposed to give you this and this from Claire."

She handed him the manila envelope.

"Have a nice day." Laura said coolly and left swiftly.

Aaron held the envelope in his hands and pushed the emotion in his throat down. The last time he'd seen an envelope like this he'd learned about his son's existence but he had a feeling that this wasn't going to be a happy letter.

Aaron didn't want to read it. Instead he set it down on his desk and stood up to go to the briefing that JJ had set up for them.

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><p>Claire sat in the doctor's office and tried not to cry as she waited. Last night she'd come to the conclusion that maybe by making an effort to look like she was getting help that Aaron would listen to her.<p>

It was a long shot and the idea made no sense to her but somehow she had found herself on Sharon Barton's door step asking if she could watch Jack and Madison for a little bit while she went to a doctor's appointment. Sharon had agreed because she adored Jack and Madison and loved spending time with them.

It was fifteen minutes later that she was shown into an exam room and sat down waiting for the doctor to show up. The man's name was Gregory Nero and he'd been the doctor Maria had suggested when Claire had talked to her early this morning explaining the situation.

Maria had said that she needed to apologize to Aaron for snapping at him and maybe take his advice because there was nothing to lose in seeing a doctor to get a medical opinion and if needing getting help. Asking for help was something that should be seen as courage not weakness.

Claire spoke to the doctor for almost an hour about how she felt. She neglected to tell him about the missing objects and just dwelled more on how she felt emotionally. Doctor Nero decided that maybe an anti-depressant could help Claire. Giving her a prescription, he left with a smile and wished her a happy day.

Filling the prescription at a local grocery store, Claire shopped around buying grocery and items needed for the week.

At ten o'clock she picked up Jack and Madison from Sharon Barton and returned home. Unloading the groceries while Jack watched a movie with Madison, Claire took a pill and chased it down with a glass of water. The machine beeped stating that there was one missed message and Claire pressed play.

"Claire, it's Aaron. I have a case and I won't be home tonight. I'll see you soon."

Her heart hurt at the message. He sounded indifferent, like he was forcing himself to call her. Turning to put the glass in the sink, Jack came running in with tears in his eyes.

"I's can't find ducky!" he cried.

Claire picked him up and held him as he cried, "Ducky's around here somewhere. We'll find him. Don't worry baby. Did you check your room?"

Jack nodded and kept crying.

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><p>At nap time Claire collapsed down on the couch already falling asleep. She and Jack had looked for ducky close to two hour and they still couldn't find it. Her little boy had been near inconsolable. Jack had wanted to call Aaron and talk to him but Claire had said no because she didn't want to bring the whole missing things issue up again and start fighting about what had happened last night.<p>

Instead she'd managed to convince Jack that ducky would want him to be brave and have his nap without him and snuggle with Mr. Bear instead. Exhausted, Jack had given in easily and was currently asleep in her bed.

It was hard because Lambie was missing too. What Claire needed was a shot of liquor. Something to at least make her feel good inside.

Standing up and moving to the kitchen, Claire grabbed a shot glass and turned to set it on the counter.

She gasped in horror and dropped the glass in front of her.

A small folded note sat on the counter with a bundle of lilies. Taking the note card, Claire opened it and read the note in horror her hands shook and dropped it to the ground next to the glass.

The message was ingrained in her mind as her heart pounded in her chest as she threatened to drown in fear.

**Your father and husband are wrong. Anti-depressants won't do a damn thing for you because none of this is in your head. I'll give ducky and lambie a kiss for you.**

**XOXO.**

Grabbing the flowers, Claire walked out into the garage and dropped them into the garbage can. She walked back quickly into the house and cleaned up the mess of glass. She finally grabbed the note card with a shaky hand and ran upstairs to her room and buried it in her nightstand drawer.

She wasn't going to tell Aaron about this because he wasn't even home.

What could he do about this? He'd just told her none of this was happening and that she was depressed.

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><p>For a week she lived in fear of nap time and everyday there was no new note on the counter. Claire's heart was pounding constantly and every sound made her jump with nervous energy.<p>

Still her pride wouldn't let her call Aaron. She was a big girl and he'd already told her that he didn't believe her. How could he be useful when he wasn't even home?

She'd continued to take the anti-depressants like Maria had told her but she felt no change in her. If anything they made the anxiety worse and her body felt like it was a rubber band stretched too far.

Sleep had been escaping her all week and the only thing keeping her awake was the fear of something happening to Jack or Madison during the times when she wasn't with them. At night when Vanilla barked her heart leapt into her throat with the thought that someone was out there waiting for her and her children.

Jack was still upset over his missing ducky but was managing to adapt to Mr. Bear when it was time to sleep.

But what had freaked her out the most was when Madison's dress that Claire had set out for her to wear early one morning had disappeared. She'd been trying to not freak out in front of Jack and scare him but she was beginning to feel dangerously alone. No one was there and she needed someone to talk to that didn't think that she was depressed or crazy. She'd tried telling Laura but she'd just laughed and said that when Tomas had been younger she'd felt the same way some times and that Claire needed sleep and a shot of vodka.

For the first time in a long time Claire's thoughts turned to Sofia and the fact that Claire desperately wanted her best friend to comfort her and tell her what to do. A feeling of unease had pitted in her stomach this morning and had yet to dissipate. She couldn't relax or bring herself to calm down at all.

It was close to seven o'clock and she stirred the pot of rice. A car door outside shut and Claire jumped. Her heart leapt in her throat as she walked down the hall to answer the door.

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><p><strong>Oooooo...Leave a review and I wonder who's at the door...the action really picks up next chapter...I promise...<strong>


	46. Chapter 46

**Thanks to everyone who reveiwed: shippolove844, i'moneinamillion, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Nat-2yk2, Katara Melody Cullen, Duchess or Lantern Waste and Elfsquire90.**

**Your reviews mean the world to me!**

**Anyways, I will try to update again tomorrow but no promises. I have a really big govt to study for and I can smell the failure already...**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Family quarrels are bitter things. They don't go by any rules. They're not like aches or wounds; they're more like splits in the skin that won't heal because there's not enough material." ~F. Scott Fitzgerald<em>

**Chapter Forty-Six: Last Kiss**

_Thursday…August 31…7:05PM… _

Aaron Hotchner was exhausted as he walked towards his front door. He wanted to eat something then just crawl into bed and sleep till his alarm went off tomorrow morning and he'd have to get up and do this all over again.

The door was open and Claire stood there looking relived.

"Your home!" she said sounding happy to see him.

"Daddy!"

Jack came running out the door. Hotch managed to drop everything and catch his son last second as Jack threw himself at him. Settling Jack on his hip, Aaron hugged his son tightly and kissed his head.

"Hey buddy! How have you been?"

Jack just shrugged and wrapped his arms around Hotch's neck. Chuckling, Hotch walked through the door leaving his go-bag and brief case on the steps. From the corner of his eye, Hotch watched as Claire picked them both up and followed them inside.

"Jack dinner's almost ready why don't you go wash you're hands." Claire said as she disappeared down the hallway towards the laundry room with his go-bag. Jack instantly squirmed out of Hotch's grasp like a slippery snake and ran to the sink in the kitchen. He pushed a small stool over and could barely see over the sink still. Jack looked at him expectantly waiting for the water. Smiling, Hotch gently lifted Jack up and turned on the water for him to wash his hands.

"A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O…P! Q, R, S, T, U, W, X, Y, Z! Now I knows my A, B, C's nexts times won't yous sing with me!" Jack sang badly and off key.

Hotch knew that Jack and missed some letters but he could bring himself to correct him as he set him back down on the floor. Shutting of the water, Hotch crouched down and dried off Jack's hands.

"I'm glads yous home daddy." Jack said giving him another hug, "Can I have somes milk?"

Hotch nodded and picked Jack up setting him at the kitchen table. Jack babbled happily to Vanilla while Hotch opened the glass cupboard. Reaching for a plastic cup, he stopped.

A small prescription bottle sat in the corner hidden behind a glass cup. Moving the cup, Hotch saw that it was an anti-depressant in Claire's name. He gave a small smile that she was getting help for her depression. Shame suddenly filled him as he recalled their conversation from the week before. He needed to apologize to her for calling her a bitch because she wasn't. She was the mother of his children and deserved respect for the fact that she took care of them day in and day out with no breaks. Closing the cabinet, Hotch took the milk out and poured Jack a small glass.

"Mommy doesn't like going in that cupdord." Jack said as Hotch set the glass down in front of him.

"Why's that Jack?" Hotch asked curiously.

Jack shrugged and took a sip of his milk, "I don'ts knows but whenever she does she gets a sads look on her face. I don't likes seeing mommy sads, I like her whens she's smiling and playing with mes on the playgrowd!"

Hotch had no idea how to reply to that statement but simply agreed that he liked seeing mommy happy too.

Claire came back into the kitchen a few minutes later and announced that dinner was ready.

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><p>Aaron had watched his family for most of the evening and felt almost out of place. Claire, Madison and Jack had a routine that they did every evening and he felt out of place in that routine. He'd volunteered to do the dishes while Claire gave both Madison and Jack a bath and put them to bed. Jack had come running down stairs in his Nemo pj's to offer a hug and a kiss goodnight. Hotch had put him to bed himself while Claire took care of Madison who was fussy and clearly upset by something.<p>

Hotch had seen her pacing the nursery with Madison back and forth as he returned down stairs to finish the dishes. His mind raced back to the envelope that Laura had delivered him earlier.

Claire wanted a divorce.

Why else would she send Laura?

She knew that Laura wasn't his biggest fan and she was one kick ass divorce attorney. Was Claire that miserable in their marriage? A quiet voice in his mind answered that yes, she was. She had an absent husband who was hardly around and two small children who demand her attention every second of everyday. It was no wonder that Claire felt depressed.

"I was hoping that we could talk if you're finished with the dishes." Claire quiet voice broke his thoughts. Hotch turned to look at and saw what appeared to be a very tired woman who looked thinner then he could ever remember seeing. He didn't want to have this conversation. He didn't want her to say those words about ending their marriage. Instead he took two steps towards her and kissed her lips passionately. He caught Claire off guard. For a split second she didn't respond and an instent later she was kissing him back with equal passion. His tongue grazed her bottom lip and Claire moaned in satisfaction as he explored her mouth.

Picking up his wife, Hotch quickly made his way to their bedroom. If their marriage was over he didn't want it to end without one last time of having Claire as his and knowing that he'd loved her to the best of his abilities. Clothing was quickly taken away until they were both in the throws of passion. He loved her like he was dying and this was his last time ever with her. Each cry of pleasure from her lips only made Hotch want to double his efforts and bring her more pleasure.

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><p>It was hours later that he lay on his side spooning her body that he dropped a kiss on her sleeping head and let a tear fall. He wanted her to stay his forever. He didn't want to see her become some other man's wife or mother of some other man's children. He wanted her to forever be Claire Hotchner and his wife. It dawned on him that they hadn't used protection and he silently hoped that they'd made another baby that night. He knew it was a selfish wish but he'd always wanted three children. It had been a dream that he'd kept buried deep inside him and never told a soul.<p>

Lying in bed with Claire he realized he'd let everything that ever matter to him slip away and it was his own fault that his marriage was over.

He'd never even tried to save it when Claire had fought him tooth and nail on everything that mattered. She'd demand that he kept promises he made and spend time with them as a family. Instead he'd ignored her and worked. His marriage had fallen apart because he wasn't willing then to put the time and effort into it. But now he wanted a second chance to prove to Claire that them separating was a mistake. He'd give anything for them to just stay together and be happy. Hugging her close he closed his eyes and formulated plans in his head of how he was going to win his Claire back and be the man that she'd always believed he could be. He'd stop disappointing her and love and support her the way she deserved.

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><p>At six o'clock their alarm went off and Hotch blinked at it and hit the snooze button. He didn't have to be to work till eight-thirty but he'd always gone in early around seven. Turning over, he pulled Claire's form close to him and breathed in her perfume that was her hair.<p>

"Shouldn't you get up?" she mumbled quietly pulling the sheet up over her chest.

"I don't have to be to work till eight-thirty. If I leave here at seven-thirty then I'll have enough time to get to work. It's only six now and I can shower and change in probably twenty minutes give or take so I don't really have to wake up till seven."

Claire laughed sleepily turned to look at him, "I thought you liked going into work early. Besides, when you go Jack and I watch cartoons for a little bit. He'll be in here around seven."

Hotch grinned and kissed her, "That means I have an hour of your time to myself."

Claire giggled as he dropped kisses on her neck and shoulders. To Hotch the sound of her giggling was the best sound in the world.

Hotch stepped out of the closet and smiled at a sleeping Claire and Jack. The television was on low and Jack was snuggled close to Claire under the blankets. It was close to seven-thirty and he was ready to go. Kissing Jack's head and Claire cheek, Hotch took his phone out and snapped a quick picture of them for his office. With one last kiss to Claire's temple, he slipped out of the room cracked the door behind him. Hotch checked on Madison who too was sound asleep for once. He noticed that Lambie was missing but ignored it as he pulled the thick comforter of his baby girl and kissed her goodbye. With a final check of the house making sure that the doors were all locked, Hotch left the house feeling a sense of happiness overwhelm his senses as he back out of the driveway waving at the Barton and Hamsburg children who stood at the corner waiting for the bus.

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><p>He smiled at the video feed of Claire and Agent Hotchner making love in the early morning. Today was the day.<p>

The game was ready to be played and his revenge on Agent Hotchner would be complete. He'd planned ever detail perfectly. All he had to do was to take Claire at nap time and he'd make Aaron Hotchner's life miserable.

Watching as Aaron Hotchner thrust into his wife he smiled and couldn't wait for nap time.

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><p><strong>It's on! What do you think our creeper will do next? Leave a review!<strong>


	47. Chapter 47

**Right so I know I said that I wouldn't post till later but I couldn't resist posting this little chapter just to keep everyone on edge...**

**Thanks to those who reviewed.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**The Song is My Love by Sia because somehow in my mind I think this son is perfect for this chapter. Good song...mad twilight used it because now it's a 'twilight' song:(**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>My love, leave yourself behind<em>  
><em>Beat inside me, leave you blind<em>  
><em>My love, you have found peace<em>  
><em>You were searching for release<em>

_You gave it all into the call_  
><em>You took a chance and<em>  
><em>You took the fall for us<em>

_You came thoughtfully_  
><em>Loved me faithfully<em>  
><em>You taught me honor<em>  
><em>You did it for me<em>

_Tonight you will sleep for good_  
><em>You will wait for me, my love<em>

_Now I am strong, you gave me all_  
><em>You gave all you had<em>  
><em>And now I am home<em>

_My love, leave yourself behind_  
><em>Beat inside me, leave you blind<em>  
><em>My love, look what you can do<em>  
><em>I am mending, I'll be with you<em>

_You took my hand and added a plan_  
><em>You gave me your heart<em>  
><em>I asked you to dance with me<em>

_You loved honestly_  
><em>Did what you could release<em>  
><em>Ah, ooh<em>

_I know you're pleased to go_  
><em>I won't relieve this love<em>

_Now I am strong, you gave me all_  
><em>You gave all you had<em>  
><em>And now I am home<em>

_My love, leave yourself behind_  
><em>Beat inside me, I'll be with you<em>

**Chapter Forty-Seven: My Love, Leave Yourself Behind**

_Friday…September 1…1:30…_

Claire let Jack run around as she walked into the house carrying Madison in her carrier and a bag of groceries. Vanilla barked and chased him around playfully as Jack pretended to be an airplane flying in the sky. They'd been to the park and grocery store earlier and Jack had had the time of his life swinging on the swings and watching the planes in the sky.

Laughing, Claire told him to calm down as she set Madison down and took her out of her carrier. Jack instantly came over to her and wanted to hold Maddy. Claire agreed and made Jack sit on the couch and set Madison in his lap so that her body was supported by his. Vanilla hopped up on the couch beside them and played guard dog with them both as Claire turned the TV on and put _Finding Nemo_ on for them to watch while she made lunch.

With one last glance at her children, Claire went into the kitchen and quickly made Jack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with carrot sticks and milk. Putting his food down at the table, she went back and picked a sleeping Madison up from Jack.

"Stay here while I go put Madison down for a nap, okay Jack?" she said as Jack nodded fully engrossed in the movie.

It was twenty minutes later that she came back down stairs to find Jack sitting at the kitchen table eating his lunch all by himself.

"I thought I told you to wait for mommy." Claire said crouching down to be eyelevel with Jack who looked guilty.

"I gots hungry mommy, sorry." He said putting his sandwich down on plate and looked down at his hands.

Claire gave him a hug and kissed his head, "Jack you're just growing up so fast and I just wanted to have lunch with you. I'm not mad baby; I just forgot that you're a growing boy who needs to eat. One day you'll be as tall as daddy and then I don't know what I'll do."

Jack's eyes brightened at the mention of Aaron and he smiled, "Can we call daddy later?"

Claire smiled and laughed, "Maybe before nap time. How does that sound?"

Jack nodded and happily ate his sandwich as the phone rang.

Claire felt that familiar fears dip into her stomach but relaxed. There hadn't been any incidents today and the day had been calm and quiet.

Claire grabbed the phone and answered it.

"Hey it's Aaron. I was just calling to see how your day was going."

Claire smiled involuntarily at the sound of his voice. Maybe it was the fact that they'd finally had sex after going through a very long dry spell or something like that but today she'd felt happy and like her old self again. She hadn't even taken medicine today.

"Jack and I are just finishing lunch and he's been asking to call you." Claire supplied.

Hotch laughed, "Has he? How's he doing?"

"He's on cloud nine right now, we went to the park and he got to swing and watch the planes."

Jack perked up when he heard her talking about planes and quickly asked if it was Hotch. Jack begged to talk to Hotch and Claire handed him the phone as she sat him down on the living room sofa and listened to him chatter on with his father as she picked up the kitchen.

It was almost ten minutes later that Jack came running back into the kitchen yawning and offered Claire the phone.

"It sounds like you've all had an exciting day." Hotch commented as Claire picked up Jack again and walked upstairs with him for naptime.

"Yeah we have. Will I see you tonight?"

"I should be home around five-thirty or six depending on traffic. I was thinking that maybe tomorrow night we could give the kids a baby sitter and we could go out to a dinner and show if you wanted to. Reid has been prattling on about some new restaurant and how they have the best food he's ever had. I was going to call and see if I could get quick reservations." Hotch said with a smile hoping that she'd say yes. He felt like a teenage boy again asking the hot cheerleader out on a date. He'd forgotten what it was like to take a woman to dinner and a movie to simply enjoy her company.

"I'd like that. I'll call Missy from down the street and see if she's available to babysit. I have to put Jack down for a nap Aaron. I'll see you when you get home. Is there anything special you'd like for dinner?" Claire asked as she set Jack down on his bed.

"Nope. I would like you for dessert though."

Claire laughed and agreed.

"I love you Claire. I'll see you when I get home." Hotch said as a knock sounded from his ended of the phone. Claire assumed it was the door and quickly decided that she should end the call so he could get back to work.

"I love you too. Bye."

Setting the phone on the dresser, Claire helped Jack to change into pj's and climb into bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Chuckling to herself about how exhausted Jack was from running around, she checked on Madison who was still asleep with Vanilla sleeping too in front of her crib.

Knowing that both of her children were sleeping and content, Claire went back downstairs and returned the phone to its home and looked out to the back yard.

She gasped in horror. Her wedding dress was outside in the lawn dressed on a doll that looked disturbingly like her. Unlocking the doors and stepping outside, Claire closed the French doors behind her and felt her heart pounding in her chest as she walked out to the yard and looked as the dress. A note was taped to the doll's throat and she took it off with a shaking hand as tears came to her eyes.

**You didn't think I was gone for good dear Claire did you? Walk back into your house and do your goddamned dish or I'll suffocate Madison. Don't try and call anyone either or I drown Jack in your tub. Go now and maybe your children will live. Do exactly what I say or else things may not be so pretty in the end and Jack and Maddy might pay the price for your stupidity in trying to stop me.**

**XOXO**

Claire looked wildly and felt her chest constrict as she walked to the deck. The back door that she had closed was wide open. Stepping into the house she walked to the kitchen and turned the sink on. Above her, Claire could hear water filling the claw foot tub in the master bathroom. She couldn't stop the tears flowing from her cheek as she helplessly grabbed the sponge and soap. Her vision was so blurry that she couldn't see anything.

She couldn't do anything that would risk Madison and Jack's life. This was her only option she told herself.

She sensed it before she felt it.

The wire touching her neck…

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><p>It was a quarter till five and Aaron Hotchner was excited to get to go home. He planned on stopping and buying Claire flowers just because. He signed the last file and set it aside while leaning back in his chair gazing at the picture he'd taken of Claire and Jack that morning.<p>

Smiling, he saved it as his wall and wondered about getting actual photos of Jack and Madison done by a professional photographer. They had pictures of Jack from when he was little but none of Madison by herself or both of them together. He wouldn't mind having a picture of both Jack and Madison together for his desk.

A knock at his office door snapped him back to business as he bid enter to whoever it was at the door. JJ's face popped in and gave him a sad smile.

"Hotch there's a case."

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><p><strong>So, I'm going to go duck the objects being thrown this way...leave a REVEIW!<strong>


	48. Chapter 48

**Hello Everyone! I just couldn't wait to get this chapter out so I had to post it today!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed: Elfsquire90, Opal Butterfly, shippolove844, Katara Melody Cullen, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, VampireGleek, Nat-y2k2 and taitaliney-2049.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak; sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go." ~ Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Forty-Eight: Prayer**

_Friday…September 1…4:55PM…_

The BAU team sat around the conference table and watched as both JJ and Hotch walked into the room.

"What's the case JJ?" Morgan asked as Hotch took a seat next to him.

JJ took a deep breath and pulled up the photos of seven women.

"In the past seven weeks, seven women have gone missing within a two hundred mile radius. Each had brown hair, blue eyes and were stay at home mothers." JJ started off.

"Wow, this guy's angry. Lots of over kill." Prentiss commented as she looked at a picture of one of the women.

"Charlotte Louder was taken from her home around three o'clock when her new born was sleep upstairs. She was found twenty four hours later with her throat slit and signs of sexual assault. No DNA evidence was found anywhere on the body." JJ said pointing to a picture of the woman, "The next victim, Allison Ignatius, was again taken from her house in the afternoon when her children were sleeping and found strangled to death twenty four hours later with no sign of sexual assault."

"These killings suggest different unsubs." Morgan said, "None of these women look the same soci-economically. From the file it says that each woman was murder differently and some were sexually assaulted while others weren't. Maybe it's a team of people but this clearly points to multiple unsubs."

"The one thing is consistent is that they all look the same." Reid said, "Our unsub clearly is attracted to brown haired, blue eyes woman in their thirties but any connections stops there."

"Rebecca Earheart was burned alive, again taken in the afternoon and found twenty four hours later." JJ continued, "Holly Orville was stabbed over one-hundred times and had the same scenario of abduction and being found. Theresa Chandler was beaten to death with a wooden bat, same scenario. Heather Nicholas was decapitated and had the same scenario. Elissa Ryner was drowned. She was also taken from her home and found twenty four hours later."

Pointing out each woman to the team as everyone listened.

"So the unsub is breaking into their house and taking the women when their children are asleep. He tortures them for twenty-four hours and kills them. How do LLE's find them?" Hotch asked.

"The husband's receive a note every hour that the woman is away. The unsub describes it as a game and sends each husband clues about the whereabouts of his wife. In the final hour they give the location but every time law enforcement gets there the women are already dead."

Rossi had been quiet the entire time suddenly stood up and grabbed a dry erase marker. Walking to the white board he began writing.

**C**harlotte **L**ouder **A**llison **I**gnatius **R**ebecca** E**arheart **H**olly **O**rville **T**heresa **C**handler **H**eather **N**icholas **E**lissa **R**yner

The team was silent as Rossi wrote out 'Claire Hotchner' beneath the names.

"She was right." Rossi whispered quietly, "We dismissed it and she was right."

Hotch quickly grabbed the phone in the conference room and dialed his home. His heart was pounding as it rang.

"Hi you've reached the Hotchner's. We're not here right now but leave a message and we'll call you back as soon as we can. Thanks and have a good day." Claire's cheer voice said.

Aaron took a deep breath, "Claire please call me back when you get this message. I love you."

He hung up the phone as Garcia walked in with a cheery smile.

"This just got dropped off for you Hotch." She said setting the large manila envelope on the table.

Hotch felt his heart jump up his throat. Reaching for the envelope he opened it and pulled a DVD and a folded note paper. Taking the DVD and putting it into the player, Hotch watched as the blue screen turned black and jumped to an image of his kitchen.

Claire stood washing the dishes with her back to the camera. From the cameras position, the team watched in horror as a man dressed in all black crept towards her.

"Please tell me he's not going to do what I think he's going to do." Garcia whispered turning away from the screen.

Aaron Hotchner stared at the screen as the man approached Claire from behind and uncoiled a piece of thin wire. His heart was screaming at him not to watch this as his wife was about to be brutally murdered but he couldn't pull his eyes away from the television.

The wire went over her throat and Claire's reaction was automatic. Hotch watched as Claire tried to pull the wire away from her with no avail.

"Fight back Claire." He heard Rossi whisper brokenly. As if she heard her father's plea, Claire reached for the small knife on the counter and tried to fight back. The man released the wire around her neck and Claire coughed. She dropped the knife and the man took the opportunity to grab Claire's pony tail and slammed her head into the marble countertop. Claire grabbed the edge trying to hold herself up but with little help. Hotch could see blood on the counter as the area around her temple became red. She0 fell to the ground with a moan of pain and a sickening thud of her head meeting the wooden floor.

Clarie's body lay motionless on the floor as the man grabbed her wrists and began to pull her.

"Mommy?" Jack's little voice said from somewhere out of sight.

Hotch was silently in agony now. His son didn't need to see this. He watched the man drop Claire again and for a second time her head cracked violently against hard wood floor. Seconds later Jack's helpless screams for his mother and father could be heard on the camera. Suddenly an silence came over the video and the screen went black.

Hotch collapsed down in the chair trying to process what had just happened as his heart was consumed with fear.

The note was still clasped in his hand and he read it:

**You should have listened Agent Hotchner. But now they're all mine and it'll be an eye for an eye. You destroyed my family, I'll destroy yours now. The game will begin in an hour. At six o'clock you will receive your first package and clue as to where your son is. Till then, enjoy the pictures.**

Hotch opened the envelope and nearly burst into tears. It was a picture of both his children sound asleep in their beds.

The son of a bitch had been inside his house as a deep seeding feeling of helplessness invaded his heart.

His children were missing and so was his wife.

Hotch retreated to his office and closed the door behind him. He picked up the closest thing he could find which was a book and threw it. He didn't feel any better.

Sinking down into his chair, he buried his face in his hands as he felt tears gather in his eyes as Claire's words echoed in his mind.

_"I can't believe you would sit here and not believe me!"_

He hadn't listened and his family would pay the price.

Claire would be this unsubs next victim. His children were somewhere and there was no one there to keep them safe or comfort them. The envelope from earlier caught his attention. He needed something of Claire's and even if it was this, it was something of hers.

Opening it carefully, Hotch read the letter and sobbed in relief. She didn't want a divorce. Instead it was a detailed letter of everything that had gone missing in the house and the exact dates of incidents in the house. She had given them a clue of what was going inside this unsubs head. Standing, Hotch grabbed the picture of them as a family at his birthday party earlier in August and took it out of its frame. Holding the picture, he looked at.

They sat together on a bench in the park. His arm was wrapped around Claire's shoulders and Madison sat smiling on her lap while Jack sat on his and smiled happily into the camera also.

Folding it and putting it in his pocket, Hotch stood and left his office. He silently vowed that he would do whatever it took for Claire to see that picture of them together again and remember that they could be a happy family.

"She put a list together of everything that went missing. And in the order of which she thought it went. There are even dates of incidents happening and a detailed account of them." Hotch told Rossi who sat in his office with tears in his eyes as JJ comforted him.

"What?" Rossi said as he looked up at Hotch who handed him the papers.

Hotch picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"I need a SWAT team at 2568 Creek Lane. The BAU team will be there within the hour. Do not enter till we arrive and get me a chopper." Hotch told whoever it was on the line before he hung up.

"She will not be this man's seventh victim and so help me God neither will my children be abandoned to this world without their mother. Garcia," Hotch said turning towards the rest of the team standing in the door way, "I want you figuring out everything there is to know about that video and everything you can figure out about the unsub pictured. I want to know how this man thinks, how he got into the house and how he got the video. I want to know everything there is possible about this. If you have to tear apart my house then do it."

Everyone nodded and moved out of the office room while Hotch took tape and the two pictures of his children and went to the conference room. He taped the pictures on the board and wrote the word time line. He started the timeline from the moment that he called her that afternoon which seemed like a lifetime away from that moment.

"We'll find them Aaron." Rossi said quietly, "This son of a bitch will pay. Mark my words."

He just nodded as his fingers traced over the picture of Madison sleeping. Her lips were parted and she looked peaceful like any baby when they slept. For the first time in a long time Aaron Hotchner sent up a prayer to God begging him that he not take away his children. They were so little and didn't need to experience the pain the world had to offer yet. He'd do anything to just hold them in his arms again even just for one second. There were so many moments that Hotch wished he could do over with them and offered up the prayer that if they were saved, he would do his best to understand what it meant to be a father again to his children and all the responsibilites that it included.

He just wanted his family safe, in his arms happy and whole. Was that so much to ask for?

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><p><strong>LEAVE A REVIEW!<strong>


	49. Chapter 49

**Hello Everyone! I'm posting today! I got ten reviews! I'm so happy!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed including: shippolove844, Katara Melody Cullen, camiguin, Nat-y2k2, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, i'moneinamillion, Duchess of Lantern Waste, Elfsquire90, taitaliney-2049 and my unnamed review!**

**You guys rock!**

**And as a reward, an name will be known after this chapter! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Enjoy, Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring." ~Liz Armbruster<em>

**Chapter Forty-Nine: Plain Sight**

_Friday…September 1…5:46PM…_

Aaron Hotchner watched as the chopper landed in Creek Lane's circle. He was ready to go. His vest was on, his ear piece already in place and he could hear the radio as the SWAT team checked and secured the local area.

His stomach was in knots and he could never remember being this nervous in his whole life. Not even when Jack was born had he been this anxious. The instant the chopper touched down he opened the door and stepped out. The head of the SWAT team made his way over to him and Rossi and explained that no one had entered or left the house and that the area around the house for a quarter mile radius had been secured.

While Hotch and Rossi spoke to the man the team went inside the house.

Emily Prentiss looked around the kitchen and gave a sad smile as she picked up the Tigger sippy cup on the counter. The house was clean and neat but something about the little things like a toy here or there and a sippy cup on the counter made you know that children lived there.

"I'm the unsub," Morgan started, "How do I get in?"

"Multiple ways," Prentiss said, "Garage door, back door, front door, windows."

Morgan nodded and stood at the sink where Claire had stood hours ago washing dishes, "She had to have heard him come in. Why wouldn't she move though?"

Prentiss looked in the backyard and saw the dress, "Because she was threatened."

"How-" Morgan started but caught sight of what Prentiss had seen.

The sound of the front door opening and Hotch's voice asking them if they had found anything jarred them. He stopped mid-step as he caught sight of the dress in the backyard.

He paused a second before walking swiftly over and unlocking the door. Prentiss and Morgan followed him off the deck and down to the lawn as the three of them approached the dress and doll.

Flashbacks filled Hotch's mind as he remembered that day. Claire had been beautiful in the dress and her happiness had been infectious to all. It was hard to believe that the day had happened so long ago.

"She was told if she didn't comply her children would die." Prentiss said reading the note that was on the ground.

"Morgan, go check the door and see if there was any sign of forced entry." Hotch said in his usual commanding self as he stood with Prentiss just staring at his wife's dress.

He and Prentiss stood there for a moment before Hotch spoke quietly, "She tried to tell me something was wrong and I didn't listen. She tried to and I dismissed her fears when what I should have been doing was keeping them safe. How do I explain to my son that his mother's dead if it should come to that? How do I tell a little boy that it's my fault his mother isn't there to tuck him in and kiss him goodnight? How do I even explain it to Maddy who will have no memory of Claire?" Hotch asked into the twilight of the evening. The dress was sparkling as the setting sun hit the crystals in the embroidery of the dress. The dress was not as beautiful to him as the woman who'd worn it with the smile.

"She's not gone yet and we'll find her." Prentiss said as she turned and gave Hotch a moment alone. She didn't get far when another agent stepped out on to the lawn holding a package.

"This just came for Agent Hotchner."

Hotch whipped around and stared at the box before taking it from the agent's hands. Walking back into the house, he set it on the counter and grabbed a knife. He opened the box and pulled out the next note.

**It takes a man of courage to propose and not be afraid of rejection. The dog was a nice touch. **

Hotch felt sick as he pulled out Vanilla's collar and the name tag that said 'Will you marry us?'

There was more in the box this time. A four inch thick stack of papers were in the bottom. Pulling them out, Hotch closed his eyes as he recognized the restaurant that they were walking out of.

Bella's.

It was shortly before he proposed to Claire at Christmas time.

"This picture is over five years old," Hotch whispered to Morgan as he handed him the picture. Hotch fanned out the pictures. There were pictures of them at shops, the movies, park, and kissing, holding hands.

Hotch brought a hand to his mouth as he swallowed the bile that had climbed up. How long had this son of a bitch been watching them? What had he seen too?

"The locks been picked multiple times." Morgan said gesturing to French door. Guilt filled Hotch at those words. Claire had said that the door had been unlocked. The bastard had made an error that Claire had caught but he'd chosen to ignore.

"So his mode of entry is to break in through the back door. The woods are his cover. Claire sees the dress, goes outside to look at and leaves the door unlocked behind her and bam, the guy's in." Prentiss said.

Rossi walked into the kitchen looking as white as a sheet.

"The tub is full upstairs and Jack's pajama's are soaking went on the floor."

Hotch dropped the pictures which flew everywhere on the floor and ran up to the master bathroom.

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><p>The water was cold and Jack's pajamas were indeed still on the ground but why? He picked up Jack's shirt and held it in his hands. What was the point? If he had drowned Jack why remove his clothes?<p>

The thought of Jack already being gone from the world literally knocked Aaron off his feet as he sank down to sit on the edge of the tub.

Was his little boy gone? The same little boy that he'd just kissed that morning?

The thought of trying to even cope with that loss brought tears to his eyes. He just wanted his wife and children back. He wanted to just hold them and keep them safe. He wanted to crawl back into bed with his family like he could have that morning and sleep with them knowing they were safe in his arms. Hotch just wanted to cry in dispair at the though of trying to even exist in that moment without Jack or Madison in his life. They had given him something to live for. They, along with Claire, had taught him what unconditional love was and he didn't want to part with them ever in this lifetime.

He clutched the tiny shirt and looked straight up at the wall as a tear fell.

Jack couldn't be dead. It would be wrong to bury a three year old in the cold, hard ground.

How could he even begin to prepare himself for the moment that they would lower his tiny body down in a casket?

Hotch's eyes caught the vent and it was like puzzles clicking together in his mind as all thoughts of Jack escaped his mind.

There was a vent in the kitchen, right behind the sink.

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><p>Claire blinked sleepily as she stared at the swinging light above her. Her head ached and her body was pounding. She slowly turned onto her stomach and tried to move to her elbows and knees but out of nowhere a kick to her stomach came. Pain shot through her as she fell to the ground again. A swift kick came to her spine next and Claire sobbed in pain and he kicked her in the spine again twice.<p>

She wasn't sure how long the beating lasted but her legs were tingling at the last kick to her back.

The man grabbed her by the ponytail and hoisted her off the ground.

"Hello Claire," he said.

Claire stared in horror at the man. He had a large beak shaped nose and tiny green eyes. His blonde hair was greasy and his teeth were pearly white.

"My name's Evan Mackenzie. We're playing a game with Agent Hotchner tonight, care to join?"

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><p>Hotch marched into the kitchen and put Jack's shirt on the counter by the pictures as he grabbed a chair. Slamming it down just below the vent, Hotch stood up on it and yelled for Rossi to get a Phillips screwdriver.<p>

Within seconds, Rossi had secured a screwdriver and the team watched as Hotch unscrewed the screws and lifted the vent up.

Hotch closed his eyes the minute he saw it.

A small camera and a microphone.

"Get me a damn floor plan of this house. He's been using video to watch her." He said as he removed the small camera and handed it to Morgan, "This place is probably crawling in them. Get Garcia over here ASAP."

The team left to carry out Hotch's orders as the man sat down on the chair he'd just been standing on.

"She knew. Living in fear and knowing that you're being watched ever second was what caused the anxiety she was having." Rossi said quietly picking up on of the pictures, "I can't imagine how that feels."

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><p><strong>Leave a Review! Another ten equals another chapter!<strong>


	50. Chapter 50

**Hello Everyone! So like I promised, ten reviews equals an update! Woo Who! **

**Thanks to wtiger5, shippolove844, Nat-y2k2, Duchess of Lantern Waste, Elfsquire90, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, i'moneinamillion, Katara Melody Cullen, taitaliney-2049 and DanHr! **

**You guys Rock! Thanks for the reviews! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Enjoy, Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Sometimes, when one person is missing, the whole world seems depopulated." ~ Lamartine<em>

**Chapter Fifty: A Second Taut and Jack**

_Friday…September 1…6:59PM…_

There was one minute till the next package arrived and Aaron sat on the porch nervously waiting. They'd found cameras in every vent and hidden throughout the house. A deep seed of horror was blooming in his chest.

This man had seen every part of their life together. Some of those moments were supposed to be for his and Claire's eyes only. It sent chills up his spine. Right on cue a UPS truck stopped in front of the house and delivered the package.

With a shaking hand, Hotch opened the package and took the letter out of the package.

**I see you've found the cameras. Good job, now find your son. He hasn't left the premises. I'll give Claire and Madison your love. **

Hotch looked into the box and found more pictures than ever before and an article clipping of his and Claire's engagement. Rereading the note, Hotch jumped up and went to the kitchen where the team was discussing the possibilities of where Claire could be.

"Jack's still in the house. The unsub just sent a note. Tear this place apart, we need to find him." Hotch said as he moved to the laundry room in search of his son. Morgan issued orders for the SWAT team to comb everywhere.

"Look anywhere that might be able to hold a small two year boy. He's probably unconscious or unresponsive. Get a medic on standby." Hotch said over the radio.

"Roger." A voice said over the ear piece, "St. Mercy's is sending medic's on standby over."

Aaron's adrenaline was pumping as they looked over the house, double and triple checking everything. Teams had starting going into the woods behind the house combing the place in the darkness looking for Jack.

JJ and Emily were going through the attic looking in every nook and cranny of every box trying to find Jack. Rossi and Morgan had taken the down stairs and basement while Hotch looked frantically through the closets and upstairs for his little boy. It felt like a game of hide and seek gone wrong.

It had over an hour and Rossi came upstairs with another package.

"It's the third. We're still no closer to finding Claire then we were three hours ago." Rossi said sitting down on the bed next to his son-in-law who had his head in his hands.

"This man watched her for years. What happened five years ago that made him snap and start watching her?" Hotch asked as Morgan and the rest of the team entered the bedroom.

"Maybe a woman broke his heart and Claire reminds him of her?" Prentiss suggested.

"This guy clearly feels like a victim. He uses 'eye for an eye' in previous letters. He talks to Hotch about his family in the first note. He'd get even. Maybe this unsub is a family member of another unsub?" Reid counter suggested.

Everyone looked at him, "What?"

"That makes the most sense. Reid, go back to the BAU and with Garcia start building a timeline of everything. Pictures, important dates, the items too. He's sending everything in a specific order, taunting us saying that he knows everything about us." Rossi said, "If we open the package, we'll get the next clue and we can further build the profile of this guy."

Reid left with JJ and Morgan handed Hotch a pair of scissors to cut the tape on the box. Taking a deep breath, Hotch cut the tape and pulled open the top. Claire's engagement ring sat on top tied to the next note. Hotch put the ring in his coat pocket and grasped the letter.

**Your son's freezing and you've yet to save him. What must Claire think of you? **

**She had a bad mother, you're the bad father. **

Suddenly everything in Hotch's mind clicked.

The garage.

They hadn't checked the garage.

"Get me a team in the garage now!" he said into the radio running down the stairs, down the hall, across the kitchen and down the connecting hallway to the garage.

Hotch threw open the door and spotted the freezer in the corner. It was the perfect size to fit Jack in. Rushing over, he tried to lift it but the freezer was locked.

"Morgan! Get a crowbar or something to open this with!" Hotch yelled as he tried again to lift it. Morgan came in with the next best thing. A blowtorch with the SWAT and the lock was quickly broke.

Hotch threw open the lid and his heart broke. He'd found his son but maybe too late.

"I need a medic!" Hotch yelled.

Jack was shaking and his lips were blue. He was naked and clutching his teddy bear with little strength as he looked unfocused at Aaron trying to mouth words but only little noises came out. Taking his vest off quickly, Hotch gently picked Jack up. His skin was icy cold and a bluish grey color. Cradling Jack close to him, Hotch tried not to cry in relief of having found Jack and the horror of finding his son in that condition.

"I've got you Jack. Everything is going to be okay. I've got you buddy. We're going to warm you up. I promise." Hotch murmured gently, "I love you buddy. Everything's going to be fine."

Rossi had gotten a blanket from somewhere and helped Aaron to cover Jack up and try to keep what little body warmth he had left in him.

Aaron Hotchner felt Jack move a little but eventually stop. He kissed his child's chilled forehead and brought the blanket over Jack's frozen hair. Keeping Jack warm for those few seconds it took for the medics to get over there was all Hotch could think about. The fleece blanket didn't do much but it was better than nothing. Jack needed to stay warm and being so little he needed it quickly.

The garage door was opened and an ambulance backed into the drive way and the back doors opened.

A team of two women came over with a gurney and blankets. Hotch gently put his son on the gurney and watched as Jack was unresponsive to the lights being flashed in his eyes. The one woman took Jack's pulse. It was too low and dropping. Hotch watched as they pulled a half dozen blankets out.

Taking the teddy bear from his son's frozen grasp, Hotch helped them wrap Jack up securely. The woman asked if he would follow them in a car which he agreed to and Morgan offered to drive.

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><p>The whole ride to the hospital Hotch could only stare straight in front of him at the back of the ambulance doors while clutching his son's bear. The one woman was moving around and looked like she had started an IV of something. They had taken one of the Tahoe's and were able to follow the ambulance with their own sirens. He was grateful Morgan was driving because all he could think about was Jack who was in the back of the ambulance.<p>

"He'll be okay Hotch." Morgan said, "He's like you. He won't give up without a fight."

"How did we miss this? We got to the house at 5:45. We didn't find him until 8:05. He spent over two hours in there and I was in the same house as him. Some times within yards of him. How did I miss him?" Hotch asked he was about ready to lose it. His son was in a serious condition. He didn't need anyone to tell him that. He'd seen Jack's BP and pulse when the woman had taken it. The looks on their faces too had confirmed what he already knew to be true.

Jack was not stable and need care immediately.

It took a minute for Morgan to figure out that he wasn't taking to Aaron Hotchner, his boss but Aaron Hotchner, a guilty husband and father who was riding in a car behind his almost dead two year son who was being taken to the hospital.

He couldn't imagine how Hotch felt having no children himself but the fear in Rossi's eyes as he left had imprinted how serious the situation was to everyone involved.

"This isn't your fault. You didn't know he was there and I know that if you knew he was there you would have gotten him out faster than anything in the world." Morgan said hoping that he could relieve Hotch's suffering for a little bit.

Hotch listened but in the end he felt no better.

Jack was his son and nothing would change the fact that because of him his little boy was fighting for his life.

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><p><strong>Leave a review! Ten reviews equals a new chapter as promised!<strong>


	51. Chapter 51

**Hello Everyone! I'm so shocked at the number of reviews for the last chapter! Thank you!**

**Thanks to: babeelove, Starangel5593, Elfsquire90, shippolove844, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, taitaliney-2049, wtiger5, Duchess of Lantern Waste, i'moneinamillion, CCLke, Nat-y2k2, D'Arean and Katara Melody Cullen!**

**YOU GUYS ROCK!**

**Anyways, all errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"For you see, each day I love you more. <em>_Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow." __~Rosemonde Gerard_

**Chapter Fifty-One: Alive and Well**

_Friday…September 1…8:57PM…_

Hotch sat holding Jack's bear in the waiting room with Morgan and Maria. Jack had been rushed away from them when they'd pulled in. Hotch had spent the past half-hour filling out paperwork and trying to remember every bit of information that they wanted. Vaccines, recent sicknesses, and so on, many things which Hotch just didn't know. Twice he'd had to call a distraught Maria who in the end had driven up to the hospital and helped him. He'd been full of shame that his wife's mother had had to come and help him out answer simple questions about his child.

"Jack Hotchner?" a doctor asked approaching them.

"How is he?" Hotch asked.

The doctor could instantly tell that Hotch was the father because of the black hair and knew he needed to put to rest any fears this man might have about the condition of his son.

"Jack's stable but we're going to keep him here overnight just to be safe. He's body is slowly warming up again and so far no brain damage or anything like that. He was able to talk to us for a little bit. He asked for his teddy bear I believe the nurse said. If you ask for Julie, she'll show you to his room on the Ped. floor."

Hotch thanked the man and looked down at the bear he'd been holding the whole time since he'd found Jack. If his son wanted his bear then he'd get his bear. It was Jack's only request and simple enough that Aaron could fulfill it.

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><p>Quietly stepped into the room where Jack was sleeping on his side away from the door, Hotch paused. The nurse smiled gently to him in the semi-darkness of the room as she adjusted Jack's IV line and took her notes. She left a few minutes after he'd walked in saying that if he needed anything to let her know.<p>

Sitting down on Jack's bed, Hotch set the teddy bear down next to his sleeping son and kissed his head. Pulling away, he watched as Jack's eyes fluttered open and blinked sleepily at him.

"Daddy?" Jack asked in a hoarse voice as he pulled the teddy bear to his chest. Hotch could see electrodes attached to him monitoring his heart among things and an IV in his small hand.

"Hey buddy, everything is okay you're safe here at the hospital." Hotch said resting his hand on Jack's back rubbing it soothingly. He wasn't sure how much pain or discomfort Jack was in and didn't want to aggravate it any further. His three year old son had been through enough already, Hotch didn't want to make anything worse.

"Where are Mommy and Madison?" Jack asked yawning and rubbing his eyes which were already fluttering close like he was resisting the urge to sleep.

Ignoring the question, Hotch kissed Jack again and watched sleep pull Jack away again.

"I love you buddy. I'll find mommy and Madison."

With one last kiss, Hotch moved to stand at the end of the bed and watched Jack sleep for a few minutes.

Morgan and Rossi were loathed to interrupt the moment but the next package had arrived and they needed to find Claire and Madison before their time was up. Rossi walked in and put a hand on Aaron's shoulder.

"Maria said that she'd stay with him for the night."

Hotch nodded and left the room knowing if he didn't leave now he wouldn't want to leave. But Madison and Claire needed him to find them both and get them to safety also.

Rossi watched him leave and bent down to kiss his grandson goodbye and made him a silent promise that one way or another he'd get his mother back.

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><p>Standing at the nurse's station, Hotch eyed the box with trepidation as Morgan and Prentiss stood with him. Taking the box cutters, Hotch opened the box and picked up the fourth note from the unsub.<p>

**What a pretty moment. **

**You should have seen the look on Claire's face earlier when I told her about Jack. **

**I've never seen a woman cry more than she did. **

**Pathetic. **

Looking into the box Hotch pulled out Claire's blue ribbon and picture's of her with Rossi at Gianna's grave.

"What's the mess-" Rossi stopped as he looked at the pictures of him and Claire together.

"We need to get back to the BAU and talk to Reid and Garcia. See what they've come up with." Hotch said as he put everything back in the box.

The phone at the station rang and the nurse picked it up.

"Hello?" she answered, "Yes, I'll get him."

She put the receiver to her shoulder, "Is anyone here a Mr. Aaron Hotchner?"

The team looked at her and Hotch held out a hand for the phone with a face that was so cold that the nurse scurrying away, "Get Garcia on this now."

Prentiss pulled out her phone walking way while dialing Garcia. Taking a deep breath Hotch put the phone on speaker and looked at Rossi.

"This Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, who is this?"

"Hello Agent Hotchner, my name isn't important but what is important is the information I'm about to tell you." The voice said sounding crackled. Rossi looked away and down the hall where the nurse and Maria were helping a sleepy Jack to sit up and prepare to have a shot. Turning back to his son-in-law, Rossi closed his eyes knowing this was the son of a bitch that had taken his daughter and hurt his grandchildren.

"I'm listening." Hotch said staring at Rossi, his voice hard as steel. He wouldn't show this man any weakness.

"This call is being traced and we both know it. In exchange for your daughter's life, Claire stays with me and you leave us alone for the next twenty hours. When we approach the twenty-four hour tomorrow, I'll give you clue as to where she is but not any sooner. Think about Agent Hotchner, you'll get to save your daughter and possibly your wife. Why not take the deal?"

Hotch looked down the hallway where Maria was sitting with his sleeping son. Jack had invited her into the small hospital bed and was snuggled close to her with his teddy-bear. Maria was rubbing his back and helping him through the shot that the nurse had to administer to him in his tiny hip.

Did he condemn Claire to save his children?

Did he give up on the woman he loved more than anything else just so that his children would suffer more when he had to explain to them why their mother wasn't coming back and they'd never see her again except in the pictures he had of her?

Did he give up on one person to let the other person die?

Would he be signing Claire death warrant right now if he took the deal?

The profile told him that Claire was dead either way. This man wouldn't keep her alive any longer then twenty-four hours. That was his pattern and the profile never lied. This man was a victim in his mind and delusional. Each moment that he kept working was a moment that gave him a shot at getting Claire back.

If he took the deal his family wouldn't only lose a mother but a father too. Jack and Madison would lose not only their mother to her death but they'd lose him to the overwhelming guilt in his decision and his own self-hatred and blame.

Claire's voice floated through his head telling him that Aaron Hotchner didn't make deals with people like him. He put them behind bars and made sure that they'd never see the light of day.

"Your poor son must hate getting shots." The man said.

Hotch felt his stomach twist into knots at the man's words as Rossi and Morgan both took out their guns and walked down the halls looking for any sign of an intruder.

"You can also tell your agents that I'm in the cameras not the building. You'll never find me."

It was then that Hotch snapped like a stick, sick of the man taunting him.

"Listen to me you bastard. I'm going find you because I don't make deals with criminals like you. I'm the guy they call when there is no one else to help. I hunt down guys like you when no else can. Clearly you never figured that out in all your years of stalking my family and haunting them. You never figured out that I don't stop. I'll keep going till you have nowhere left to go and you're cornered. I'll be the one at the end of the day with the smirk on my face that I caught you, you goddamned son of a bitch."

Hotch picked up the phone and slammed it into the cradle so hard that the nurses who had been standing there listening all jumped with fright.

Taking a deep breath Hotch picked the phone up again, "I need two agents at , they are to be posted at room 522 and they do not leave under any circumstances. Make sure that anyone coming and going on this floor has a background check and get me the footage of everyone who enters and leaves the room. No one is allowed in but the nurse, the doctor, and the grandmother. Am I clear?"

Slamming the phone down again, Hotch looked at Rossi who nodded and grabbed the box.

They had a timeline to work out and Garcia to give information too.

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><p><strong>I don't know about you but the whole time I wrote that I could just see Hotch in my head saying that. I know I stole a line but I couldn't help myself:) Leave a review! <strong>

**Ten equals another chapter!**


	52. Chapter 52

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I was so happy to see so many reviews this morning in my email inbox and I just had to update.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"Hate leaves ugly scars, love leaves beautiful ones. ~Mignon McLaughlin"<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Two: Violent Anger**

_Friday…September 1…9:15PM…_

Evan threw the cell phone at the wall and screamed. Hotchner had fucked his plans again. He watched as Claire slowly lifted her head up from the concrete floor.

Smiling he grabbed the bread knife he'd had sitting in his trunk. He wouldn't stand for Agent Hotchner's disrespect. No one could talk to him like that and get away with it.

It seemed once again his beautiful Claire would have to pay for her husband's mess up again…

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><p>"Fill us in on what you've got baby girl." Morgan said as he pulled the car in front of the hospital where both Hotch and Rossi were walking out of the main exit.<p>

Hotch sat down in the passenger seat and Rossi sat down in the back with Prentiss. Putting the phone on speaker and handing it to Hotch, Morgan pulled out of the parking lot and put the sirens on.

"I was able to trace the call to a warehouse in downtown DC. I was made on a cell register to Evan Mackenzie. I just texted Prentiss the directions to the warehouse, Reid and JJ are on their way with a SWAT team." Garcia said.

"What can you tell us about Mackenzie?" Hotch asked, hope raising in him that maybe they had nailed the bastard after all. Prentiss and Morgan swapped the address and Morgan muttered something about the warehouse being a simple twenty minute drive.

"He's twenty-four with a background in technology. He worked for a security company until he was fired two years ago for failing to show up to work on time and had various indiscretions as such." Garcia said, "His brother Milo Mackenzie is serving time at a New York State prison for life. The man-

"-raped and killed twenty-four women." Hotch said closing his eyes, "He was a teenager when that happened. Gideon and I interviewed his brother, Milo. Evan sat in the police station for fourteen hours as we processed and arrested Mackenzie for the murders."

A memory of passing the young man his phone to use to call a relative flashed across Hotch's mind as he slammed his fist down on the dash board, "Garcia does the kid have green eyes and blonde hair. His nose is beak like?"

"Uhh…yeah." Garcia said nervously as she clicked away on her computers.

"Goddamn it." Hotch swore, "Tell Reid and JJ we'll meet them at the warehouse."

"So this is a revenge ploy for him. Evan thinks that the FBI framed his brother and so in order to make it feel like justice has been done for that he's going to kill Claire." Prentiss said.

"He's too smart of a person to just use his cell phone to call us. He said on the call he knew we were tracking him. The next thing is at the warehouse. Call Reid and see what they've come up with." Rossi said to Hotch.

Dialing the number, Reid picked up the first ring.

"Reid what did you and JJ come up with." Hotch said putting the phone on speaker phone again.

"It interesting, every picture is order by day and the item he sends was at a specific time in your relationship Hotch. He has the characteristics of being OCD but he really isn't I don't think. He's more of a sociopath. I think that he started watching you guys right before your engagement and up until now. The first thing was the dog collar, next was the announcement followed by the engagement ring then by -"

"-the blue ribbon that I let her use on her wedding day for her something borrowed." Rossi said to Reid.

"Exactly. He's picking things that are universally important to Claire and Hotch. He's going to use important moments to manipulate Claire and Hotch into doing what he wants. He's probably going to kill Claire at an important spot of her life like her childhood bedroom or something along those lines. Something that will be important to the family."

"Thanks Reid." Hotch said ending the call.

"What would be next on the list of he'd possibly use?" Morgan asked.

"I have no idea." Hotch said.

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><p>The SWAT team had already covered the perimeter of the warehouse when Hotch and the group arrived. Everyone put on vests and was ready. Hotch stood next to Rossi who mumbled a prayer that they didn't find Claire's body here or Madison's.<p>

Hotch silently echoed that plea with God. His girls couldn't be gone yet. It had been five hours since that first package and his heart was still pounding in his chest. Fear was still present in his heart as he stood behind Morgan with his gun at the ready.

The warehouse was old with several broken windows and the smell of feces was in the air surrounding the building. Two SWAT members broke the large sliding doors lock and cracked it open. One of them tossed a flash bang into the wide open area and they both quickly closed the door.

"Do you think that did any good?" Reid asked wincing at the noise.

"It'll stop Evan Mackenzie if he's in there." Morgan said.

After a few seconds, the two SWAT team members opened the doors again and entered. Pairing off into teams of two, every inch of the building was checked.

Nothing was found.

"Goddamned bastard." Rossi mumbled next to Hotch as they opened another door. The room seemed to be empty but it had an eeriness to it that Hotch didn't trust. Looking behind the door, Hotch caught sight of drops of blood.

Morgan and Reid joined him and Rossi in the room as Hotch handed Rossi his gun. He took his knuckle and knocked against the cement. The wall was hollow like something was behind it.

"I'll go get a hammer." Morgan said as he watched Hotch continue to knock all along the wall.

Hotch tried to think of what this man could be hiding in the wall but quickly figured out that he probably didn't want to know. But telling himself he had to know made it a little easier to swallow the fact that this might lead him to Claire or Madison.

Morgan came back with a sledge hammer and both JJ and Prentiss at his heels. Everyone took a step back as Hotch took his first swing at the wall and the cement blocks broke.

A second time, third, forth, fifth, sixth time.

Hotch hit it until most of the wall was ruble on the floor. It was Rossi's hand on his shoulder that stopped him from taking another swing.

The wall was indeed hollow like Hotch had suspected it would be but what surprised everyone was the metal door behind it. Setting down the hammer and taking his gun back from Rossi. Hotch motioned to Morgan to be the one to open the door so they could all enter.

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><p>The room was moist and illuminated by a few hanging lights above them as they crept down the two flights of metal stairs. Hotch had his flashlight trained on the ground and held his breath as a rat scurried across the ground in front of her.<p>

Was his daughter down here?

The thought of his new born baby girl down there with no lights and rats made him shiver with fear.

"Keep an eye out for the baby." Rossi said quietly from behind him.

Morgan found the light box and pushed the bar up. The lights flickered on and the large room was illuminated.

Hotch blinked a few times but his eyes quickly adjusted and he felt his body go numb. The room was full of metal filing cabinets and he was afraid of what was inside them. The sound of a projector turning on startled the team and all turned to face the far wall.

A video began playing of Claire dressed in her wedding dress and her bridesmaids around her fussing and giggling.

She looked beautiful and radiant as she smiled and hugged Rossi as he came to get her for the ceremony. A sparkle attracted Hotch's gaze on the table below the projector.

Claire's earrings.

His wedding gift to her that she wore when they'd gotten married at summer day at the church in front of their friends and families.

The earrings were still in the box with his note perfectly folded along with the next note to him from the unsub.

**Don't you ever hang up on me again…Claire's body might not be able to take much more blood loss Agent Hotchner. Claire will be running out of time soon thanks to you…so will your daughter…be thankful it's not winter quite yet.**

Aaron nearly dropped the letter that was written in blood…Claire's blood.

"Mary mother of God." Rossi said from the other side of the room at an open filing cabinet, "He's organized this down to the day and hour of when he took the pictures."

Hotch closed his eyes, "Call a CSI team. Get them down here to move all this stuff into evidence."

Feeling let down, Hotch sat down on the small chair and looked at the note in his hands. He wasn't closer to Madison or Claire. In fact, he felt like someone had sucker punched him in the stomach and moved him four places back.

Where were his girls?

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><p><strong>I know it's short but leave a review and I'll try to update again soon!<strong>

**Remember, ten reviews equals a new chapter...until next time.**

**Mxoxo**


	53. Chapter 53

**Hey guys! As promised the next chapter. Sorry for the little wait, I set the alarm off at work yesterday and had to deal with the cops for the evening…not fun at all. Anyway, Thanks to everyone who reviewed including: Wtiger5, D'Arean, i'moneinamillion, camiguin, Nay-y2k2, shippolove844, taitaliney-2049, Katara Melody Cullen, UNKNOWN, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, Elfsquire90, and anonymous! You guys rock!**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

* * *

><p><em>"Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays." ~Søren Kierkegaard<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Three: A Step Ahead…**

_Friday…September 1…10:35PM…_

Sickness was all Hotch could feel as he looked at the pictures of Claire trying on wedding dresses and the videos of her and Rossi at lunches. He was thankful he'd hadn't had dinner because he was sure it would have come up.

Every second of Claire's life had been documented in the pictures.

Evan Mackenzie was insane.

Journal entry's had been found on his laptop by Garcia and contained explicit records of details that he'd done in previous murders as well as his observations of Claire daily. In a drawer of the desk that Mackenzie had left Hotch had found some of Claire's clothes.

A tank top, a pair of shoes, a pair of earrings.

Little things that neither of them had noticed gone missing.

Taking a deep breath, Aaron turned away as they moved Claire's possessions into evidence. Pictures were being taken of every surface, item and thing that was there. Moving away, Hotch spotted Rossi standing over a small in the corner. Ultra violet lights were being shined on the floor and he watched as Rossi crouched down and let his hand hover over a specific area.

Walking over, Hotch could see the residue of blood that had been cleaned up from the floor.

"She's been here." Rossi said quietly as he rested his hand over the small imprint Claire's hand had left.

"The question is for how long and what purpose." Reid said approaching them, "I think that this unsub wants Claire to suffer just like he did. It's almost like he wants her to have a mental break like him and by showing her how much he knows about her it's almost like a psychological rape. He's forcing his knowledge about her life on to her."

Hotch closed his eyes at the thought of someone raping his wife whether it be mentally or physically. Claire didn't deserve anything that happened to her and he hoped to God that the unsub hadn't violated her sexually. There were some scars that never healed and Hotch knew that from watching victims of criminals everywhere.

"From what the CSI team said there was a lot of blood on the floor that Mackenzie cleaned up. Where ever she is we know that she will need medical help." Morgan said joining the group, "The blood on the floor upstairs matches the blood on the note and here on the floor. They're ninety-nine point nine percent sure its Claire's."

"We've gotten everything we can from this site. Let's go back to the BAU and start putting pieces together. We have all the information we need; it's just a matter of putting everything together and figuring out where Claire and Madison are." Rossi said quietly to both Reid and Morgan.

Turning to Hotch as the duo left, Rossi squeezed his son-in-law's shoulder.

"I'm going to go spend the night with Jack." Hotch said quietly, "I think it's where Claire would want me to be. There is not much I can do at this point except sit and hope that at eleven another note comes with a clue that can finally put us a step ahead."

Rossi nodded, "I think you're right. I'll go back to the BAU and help the team. They'll need personal information on Claire and I'll answer the questions they have the best I can while trying to protect your marriage and privacy Aaron. You'll give Jack a kiss for me and tell him that I love him?"

Hotch nodded, "I'll do that. It's 10:55 and the next package will be here soon. I'll go wait outside."

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><p>Hotch stepped outside and the crisp night air of September brought goose bumps to his neck. He hoped silently that Madison had a blanket covering her but he doubted that.<p>

His little girl was in this weather and was only a baby.

Hotch felt his protective and parental instincts kick in and all he wanted to do was at that moment hold his daughter in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to keep Madison safe and warm with him and let her know that she was his little angel and he loved her.

A feeling of sadness filled him as he realized he'd hardly spent time with Madison. Sure he occasionally held her and got up for her in the night but other than that he really didn't know Madison. At three months old she didn't really have a personality but he'd never really made the effort to spend time with her like he had with Jack.

All Hotch could think about was the time that he'd already lost with her. He'd missed some of the most important moments in her life already and Hotch didn't think he could bear the thought of burying Madison if it came to that.

Right at eleven o'clock a UPS truck pulled up.

"A package for Mr. Hotchner," the young man said.

Hotch accepted the box and like always there was no return address just a stamp and the evidence that it had gone through the mail.

Opening the trunk of the Tahoe, Hotch set the box down and opened it.

Inside was the jeweled comb Claire had worn in her hair for their wedding day. The most disturbing part was the pictures of him unbuttoning the back of Claire's wedding dress and the images of them consummating their marriage.

"What in the package?" Reid asked as the team walked over.

A side of Hotch argued that these photographs were private and for his eyes only. It was a moment of pure love for him and Claire that was meant only for them. But the rational side of him argued that this was all evidence of what Evan Mackenzie had done to his family. Turning to Rossi, Hotch handed the pictures with the back facing up.

"It's our wedding night and pictures of the morning after. He sent her comb that was in our safe at home."

Rossi simply nodded and browsed the pictures before handing them to a blushing Reid who almost dropped them out of nervousness. Morgan chuckled and looked at Hotch.

"What did the note say?"

Hotch dug around for the note and found it a few seconds later and read it silently to himself.

**We'll talk again at Seven AM. Be ready for a phone call at the BAU. It's your last chance to save your wife and daughter. Maybe if you behave I'll even let you talk to Claire. Madison's in for a rough time tonight. **

Hotch handed the message to Morgan and felt himself collapsing to sit in the back of the SUV.

Madison was next.

Hotch felt a tear slide down his cheek as he thought of his baby girl ending up like Jack. Madison was already helpless. She was probably screaming and crying for a bottle. When was the last time that she had been feed?

The reality that his daughter's needs were probably being pushed aside because of him broke his heart. Madison needed him and he wasn't there for her, like he hadn't been there for Jack or Claire.

"I'm going to go see Jack."

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><p><strong>I know it's short but hey, it's better than nothing.<strong>

**You know the drill...ten reviews gets a new chapter...and maybe the answer to where Madison is...just saying!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Hello Everyone! Sorry for the long wait! Thanks to Nat-y2k2, taitaliney-2049, wtiger5, shippolove844, Katara Melody Cullen, CM262, i'moneinamillion, Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967, Elfsquire90, D'Arean, camiguin, and anonymous for your reviews! I love hearing what you guys think! Sorry this one seems so short but it's really important. **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry! **

**Mxoxo**

"_Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must." ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

**Chapter Fifty-Four: Broken**

_Friday…September 1…11:30PM…_

Jack was asleep and breathing evenly as Aaron stood quietly in the doorway of his son's hospital room. Maria was awake and sewing a hole in what appeared to be a shirt of Rossi's while she softly sang a lullaby that Aaron recognized having heard Claire sing to Jack or Madison on occasion. It was a gentle tune and the softness of Maria's voice coaxed Aaron into closing his eyes.

"I know dear one, you tired so sleep and rest your head. Let your dreams sweep you away to some place safe. Oh little one, let heart be your guide as you fly with angels up above high in the sky. I know dear one, you are tired so close your eyes and imagine heaven so beautiful and fresh in your mind. Let your spirit run free like the winds in the skies. Oh little one, know I'll love you till the very end of time. Even when I'm not there, know I'm watching you and dancing on in the sky…sleep now dear one…you're safe here inside my heart for all time…sleep now my little one..,"

Maria ended the song softly and smiled to Jack as she stood up and kissed his head. Putting her sewing away, Maria pulled Jack's covers up over his shoulder with one last kiss.

"I knew you'd come." She said softly as she grasped Aaron's elbow in the doorway, "I remember when Claire was in labor with Madison she refused any painkillers because she said the pain took her mind off the fact that you weren't there. Out of all your faults she's ever been angry about Aaron I think never loving your family enough was one of them. You are a good father even if you don't think so. You have so much love to give to your children and I know from the few times I've seen you in action that everything you do is to keep them safe. That is a sign of a good husband and father. You're not a failure like you might think you are. If Claire dies tonight it is not your fault. If you can forgive yourself for everything then you and her can both recover and move on from this should she live. Self hatred is a hard and long path to follow Aaron. Know that Claire, like any mother would do anything to keep her children safe. Even if it meant dying and giving herself up to whatever pain was to be inflicted on herself, Claire would see that as a victory not a defeat if it meant that Jack and Madison were safe and being loved by you for the rest of their lives and beyond."

Aaron looked down upon the little old woman that had become almost a second mother to him, "Thank you Maria for staying and watching Jack."

"You're welcome Aaron. Even though Claire is not my daughter biologically, she is my daughter in every sense of the word. Staying here tonight was nothing and you have no need to thank me for anything. He's my grandson and I love him just as much as you and Claire do. Go be with him. The poor boy has been asking after you since you left. He is just as curious as Claire was at that age."

Hotch chuckled and listened to the beeping of the monitors by his son's bed.

"He hasn't been that bad has he Maria?"

"No. In my eyes he can do no wrong. Now I must be off. I have a candle to light at the church for both Madison and Claire. Go be with your son."

With one last squeeze of his elbow, Maria walked out and left Aaron alone with Jack. Taking off his suit coat and tie, Hotch put them on the plastic chair that Maria had previously occupied before sitting down on the edge of Jack's bed.

Kissing Jack's head, Hotch watched as Jack's eyes blinked open slowly to meet his. His son's blue eyes where exact replicas of Claire's and Hotch had to fight not to cry in front of his son and burden a young two year old with problems he probably couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"Don't crys daddy." Jack said softly as he reached for Aaron's hand, "I'll snuggles with yous to take aways your sadness. Mommy always says a hug cans take aways tears."

Hotch wiped away the single tear that had fallen down his cheek and smiled at his son. Lying down in bed next to Jack, Hotch wrapped his arms around his son and let the little boy's head rest over his heart. Being careful of Jack's IV, Hotch made sure both he and Jack were comfortable and warm enough before closing his eyes.

"Mommy's not comings home is she?" Jack asked quietly after a few seconds, "Neither is Maddy, is she?"

Hotch let out a breath at the maturity of the question for a two year old boy. What did he say? How could he promise Jack something and then fail him?

"That wasn't a nice mans in our 'ouse was its daddy?" Jack said when Aaron didn't answer.

"No it wasn't. I don't know if mommy will be coming home." Hotch said quietly trying not to cry.

"Mommy loves us. That what she tolds me right before the bad mans put me in the water. She said that she loved mes very much and that I's was supposed to tell you and Maddy that she loves yous lots too." Jack said sleepily as he pulled the blanket under his chin, "Mommy says that it's okay to cry. Yous feel betters after it. It's a signs of strengths nots weakness."

Hotch held Jack closely to him and rested his cheek on Jack's soft hair and let tears fall, "Your mother is a smart woman who I've always loved very much Jack because she loves us very much and she gave me you. I love you Jack and I promise to do whatever it takes to get Mommy and Madison back."

Jack just nodded and fell back asleep as Aaron cried for his family and that fact that his son was the only living, breathing piece of Claire that he had left to hold.

Claire's son lay asleep in his arms…

* * *

><p>At midnight the nurse came in and gently shook him away to tell him that a package had arrived for him at the front desk along with Reid.<p>

Walking down the hall to the station, Hotch saw Reid standing with the package looking about nervously. With a shaky hand, Hotch took the box cutter and opened the package. On top lay the small bag of sea shells that Claire had collected on their honeymoon together on the beach.

He remembered sitting in the warm sand with her sitting between his legs and picking up the shells around them while they shared kisses and caresses with secret promises of later.

"Those are pretty." Reid commented carefully.

"Thank you."

Hotch took out the little note and felt dread fill him. Was this how Claire felt constantly for all those weeks? A feeling of constant dread inside her and no one to turn to for help out of the situation?

**Good Morning Agent. This is our last note before our seven am conversation. Be prepared, someone will die tomorrow whether it be your wife or daughter is up to you. Choose carefully. Either I tell you where Madison is and Claire dies or you continue on trying to find Claire and they both die. **

**Choose carefully.**

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><p><strong>Don't kill me...I'll update soon...ten reviews equals a new chapter...just saying...<strong>


	55. Chapter 55

**Hey Guys! Here's the next chapter as promised! Thanks to: Kate, supafly17, wtiger5, Katara Melody Cullen, GoodbyeLove-HelloDisease, shippolove844, rosebaby123, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, i'moneinamillion, Duchess of Lantern Waste, ccm226, Nat-y2k2 and D'Arean for your reviews!**

**YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!**

**There isn't such a bad cliff hanger in this one but it gets pretty emotional…**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

* * *

><p>"<em>Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them." ~Vincent McNabb<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Five: Never Too Late…**

_Saturday…September 2…12:05AM…_

Aaron Hotchner looked down at the note in his hands.

Either Claire or Madison…

Someone was going to die…

Never had Hotch felt so helpless in his whole life. Two people he loved were at stake and he had to play God. He had to decide who lived and who died.

Could he live with himself if he had to decide who lived and who died?

Could he decide if his wife died or if his daughter did?

Would Claire ever forgive him if he picked her over Madison?

Could he forgive himself if he picked Madison over Claire?

He was at a breaking point.

Slumping into a chair in the empty hallway, Aaron Hotchner let himself cry. His bleeding heart was breaking and he would gladly give up his life if it meant that Claire and Madison could live together…

Time passed and a gently hand rested on his shoulder. Turning to look up at JJ with with tears in his eyes, Hotch realized the next package had come.

At one in the morning it was her silver nail polish and pictures them relaxing while during Claire's first pregnancy. Photos of them having sex were also included.

At two it was the roses Claire had used on their wedding day. The photos were of her doing things such as shopping, running, swimming and other activities.

At three it her favorite white bathing suit and pictures of her at home asleep in bed and various pictures of the inside of their house.

At four it was her favorite sweater and morbid pictures of her crying and looking sad.

At five it was the ultrasound pictures of Jack and Madison.

It was a five am that Aaron couldn't sleep anymore. He knew that these items where picked to hurt him but he didn't image that seeing the ultrasounds of his children would hit him so hard. Maria's words about loving his children also flooded his mind.

Lying in bed with his sleeping son, Hotch knew deep down that Maria was right. Claire would be willing to die to save her children. It was a sacrifice he'd never fully understand but he had known that deep down it would come to this.

A bond between a mother and a child was something sacred and he felt a wave of emotions hit him as he realized that bond between Jack and Madison and Claire would be broken by sun set.

The unsub had planned it so that he, Aaron, would have to break his own family to save it.

Taking one last look at Jack, Hotch silently apologized to his son as he laid the little boy back down in the hospital bed comfortably.

If there was a god out there, Hotch prayed that he give him strength. To forgive him for whatever the outcome of the day was.

To forgive him for whatever decision he'd be forced to make.

But most of all, Hotch prayed that Jack and Madison would be able to forgive him…

Pulling on his suit coat, he nodded at the nurse who'd stepped in to take Jack's vitals and adjust anything that he'd bumped. He moved out of her way and stood at the foot of the bed and watched Jack sleep.

Jack and Madison, he'd always have them. They were a connection that he shared with Claire that no other living person did. Jack was a living breathing piece of her that would be there even if she wasn't.

With one last glance at Jack before he left, Aaron silently wished Claire all his love and strength.

She would need it in the end.

* * *

><p>Hotch walked into the BAU at 6:05 and found the team seated in the conference room around the table looking at the thirteenth package.<p>

He didn't say anything as he took the box cutters on the table and opened it.

Inside was the Tom and Jerry Box set that Claire had said she'd lost somewhere and couldn't find.

For the first time in five hours, the unsub had left a note.

**Today will be a bad day. Thirteen is an unlucky number Aaron. It's also the number of hours you've gone without Claire and Madison's gone without food or anything. **

**You will receive a call on the phone that I've enclosed in the box. **

**Be prepared at seven, I'll be calling you. **

**Your next package will be here soon. I hope you like it…**

Taking the phone out of the box, Hotch didn't bother to look at the pictures. They made him sick just thinking about it.

"I'll go talk to Garcia about this call." JJ said and everyone but Rossi and Hotch left the room.

Rossi stood up and moved to sit down next to Hotch.

"I want you to know Aaron that no matter what happens today in the coming hours, you will always be my friend and son-in-law. We're a family and no matter what happens, we'll get through this with everyone."

Hotch nodded and looked at the phone seated in front of him. Standing up, he took a Tom and Jerry disc and put it in the projectors DVD player and hit play.

He quietly told himself it was what Claire would have done to calm her nerves.

* * *

><p><em>Saturday…September 2…7:00AM…<em>

The package was delivered right on time to the BAU and sat on the conference room table. It was almost like Hotch could see the man sneering at him through the box. Cutting the tape, he pulled back the four top pieces as the phone rang.

Hotch was quick and grabbed it on the first ring.

"I see you follow directions well Agent Hotchner. Did you like my present?" Evan Mackenzie's cold voice said.

Hotch looked down into the box and saw his children's stuffed animals laying there along with pictures of both Jack and Madison asleep in their cribs as newborns and other various pictures of them with Claire or him. Some were of Jack and Claire at the park or Claire carrying Madison while shopping.

It was literally breaking his heart.

"What's the deal Mackenzie?" Hotch asked through gritted teeth.

"This is the deal: I'll give you Madison's location and the game ends at five o'clock today as planned. However, you have to stop searching for me and Claire. Think about, in exchange for your wife's life, I'll give you Madison. You just have to stop looking for me because you'll never find me in time and if you do by some chance find me, I'll be forced to but a bullet through Claire's head. You refused my other offer of picking who lives and who dies before. I've given you the night to think it over. Either Claire or Madison. Maybe a few words from your wife will help you."

Hotch's heart sped up in his chest at the mention of talking to Claire.

"You have three minutes. At the end of three minutes the call will automatically terminate. Say goodbye Aaron."

He could hear shifting and movement on the phone and suddenly Claire's fearful voice came on the line.

"Aaron?"

Her voice was timid but it was a relief to him to hear her voice.

"Claire, where are you? Do you have any way of getting out?"

"Aaron listen to me there is no way out. He's chained me to a wall. You have to pick Madison. She needs you and you have to pick her."

Hotch paused his voice breaking, "I need you too."

Claire's sobs could be heard on the speaker, "You have to pick Madison. It's the right decision. You can't pick me Aaron. I'm gone either way. He played a game with us and he controls the outcome. Pick Maddy, she's our daughter. Save her."

Tears filled his eyes, "I love you. How do I live without you Claire? How do I even begin to say I'm sorry for never trusting you?"

"You don't," her soft voice said as he fell into the chair at the table, "You don't have say you're sorry Aaron. This isn't your fault. But you have to promise me that you'll be there for Jack and Madison. They'll need you to be their father. Please out of all the promises you've broken don't break this one. Don't fall into the holes of guilt and self-hatred I know that you're building. I'm okay with dying if it means that Jack and Maddy get to live and breathe and smile with you. I'm not abandoning you Aaron. I'll be the smile they wear every day. It's not the end. Pick Madison, she a little baby who needs her father to hold her and tell her everything is going to be alright. Don't pick me Aaron. I know you'd tell me the same if our roles were reversed."

Hotch cradled his head in his hands and openly sobbed in front of the team.

"I love you Claire. You know that right? More than anything else in the world."

"I know. I'm asking your last act of love to me be picking Madison because she and Jack need your love too. You are a good man Aaron Hotchner. The best I have ever known, promise me you'll be there for Maddy and Jack and let them know how much I love them and don't let them forget how important love is in life. My life has been so beautiful because I've loved you A-"

The phone disconnected from Claire and Hotch broke down finally. Rossi caught him as he fell out of the chair.

"What a touching moment. Madison's in the woods somewhere go find her. Enjoy your presents Aaron."

Hotch couldn't think as he closed his eyes and cried.

Claire would be gone soon.

He'd had so much he'd wanted to say to her but how did he sum all that up?

Words didn't seem adequate to talk to her with. He couldn't hold her or touch her, even kiss her goodbye one last time. He didn't register Rossi's words as he held him in his chair crying but Claire's words stuck in his mind.

_My life has been so beautiful because I've loved you._

_My life…_

Her life was over.

The light that had been Claire Hotchner had diminished and wouldn't shine bright anymore. In that life she had left behind two children…Jack and Madison.

What would he tell Jack and Maddy? How could he tell his own children that the woman he loved so much was dead because he couldn't devote a few minutes of attention to her fears? How would they cope with the fact that the person who had been the glue of the family, their mother and his wife, was gone? How did you even explain that to a little child?

And in that question Claire had given him the answer.

He'd tell Jack and Maddy that Claire loved them and because of love she always believed her life was beautiful.

It was like the world was awaking around him as a rush so voices and sound hit him like a train.

"Woods could mean anything." Morgan said to Prentiss, "Do you know how many acres of wood there are in Virginia?"

"Lots but we need to start somewhere. Organize local search parties and alert the news."

"Alerting the news could piss this guy off." JJ said looking between Prentiss and Morgan.

They continued bickering but it was Reid that spoke up, "I think he's already given us the answer guys."

Everyone stopped.

Hotch looked at Reid and made a motion for him to continue.

"Remember how we said that he's using things that are important to Claire and Hotch? The woods are important to Claire. Rossi you told me last night that she ran for soccer as a teenager every day in-"

"-Mallort Park." Hotch and Rossi finished.

"It's a hundred and fifty miles south of here but it fits in his area of comfort." Rossi said wiping his eyes, "Reid I'll kiss you later but now we have to get to Mallort. Keep looking for the clues. Where ever he's taking Claire it'll be important. Go to my house and in my attic will be all of Claire's diaries from the time she was a child till she married Aaron. Somewhere in there is a key."

It was instantaneous that everyone started to move.

Rossi on the phone securing a chopper.

Morgan calling in extra men.

JJ and Reid going to go to Rossi's house.

Prentiss calling Mallort Park ordering in search parties with the promise that they would be there within the hour to help look for Madison.

He'd promised Claire he'd find Madison.

So he would.

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><p><strong>Leave a review! <strong>

**You know the drill!**


	56. Chapter 56

**Hey Guys! Here's the next chapter as promised! Thanks toWtiger5, Duchess of Lantern Waste, shippolove844, i'moneinamillion, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, babeelove, Ccm226, CCLke, Nat-y2k2, D'Arean, Katara Melody Cullen and anonymous!**

**YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!**

**The answer to Nat-y2k2's question about a certain family member is coming up next…**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>The wings of hope carry us, soaring high above the driving winds of life."<em>

_~Ana Jacob  
><em>

**Chapter Fifty-Six: Mallort Park**

_Saturday…September 2…10:54AM…_

Four hours had passed since the call and all Hotch could focus on was finding Madison. She was the only thing he could think about without wanting to break down. Mallort Park was over two-thousand acres of pure woods with no distinct trails.

Tracking dogs had brought in and so far nothing.

Hundreds of volunteers and people in law enforcement had come from all over to help look for Madison but there was too much land and too many people. Rossi had taken to the skies with a helicopter in the hopes of maybe Madison was wearing a bright color but so far nothing had turned up.

The thing that concerned Hotch the most was the weather reports from the night before. Heavy rains had flooded the areas by the streams and rivers and he was petrified that if Madison had been in the areas that had flooded she would have been washed away and drowned. Instead of searching for his daughter, was he searching for his daughter's body?

Pushing that thought out of his head completely, Hotch continued to walk through the woods with Morgan.

"Do we have a medic on standby?" Prentiss' voice said through the radio.

Hope raised inside of Aaron, "Yes we do. What's going on Prentiss?"

It took a few moments for her to reply but eventually she did, "A volunteer fainted that's all. She's being helped right now."

Hotch didn't respond as the warmth that had filled him for a moment deflated. It wasn't Madison.

The buzzing of his phone brought him back to the present as he answered Reid's call.

"Hotchner."

"What made Claire want to be a nurse?" Reid asked without preamble.

"There was a car accident when she was little and the family died in it if I remember right. The baby was dead and Claire always said that she knew then that she wanted to be the person who took care of those who were sick and dying. Why?" Hotch said looking at the ground for signs of Madison and scratching his head trying to remember a conversation he'd had with Claire over five years ago.

"In a lot of her journal entries she doesn't talk anything but social functions and her dreams to be a nurse. It doesn't mention the why though. It simply says that she's applied for various schools and stuff like that. She does mention Rossi a lot though and being angry that he wasn't there for certain things. That's where the chief emotions are." Reid said, "She seems bitter about him missing the state championship and her leadership ball, those events."

Hotch's mind flashed to Jack and Madison. Would they be bitter if he missed their school events? Their soccer games and moments of achievement? Would he get to be the one to help Jack learn how to ask a girl out or would he get that advice from someone else? Would Claire be there to help Madison pick out her first dress to a dance and all the girly excitement that went with it?

Would he be able to teach Maddy how to dance while she stood on his shoes like the picture of Claire and her father in Rossi's office? Would he be able to the one to save his little girl when a boyfriend was being mean or difficult? Would Madison and Jack be as close to him as Claire was to Dave?

"Hotch? Hotch?" Reid said bringing him out of his thoughts.

"What Reid?"

"Most teenagers don't want their parents around but in these journals, Claire is longing for Rossi and hating him at the same time she even say and I quote, 'I can't explain why every time I see a little girl in the store with her father an almost uncontrollable feeling of sadness and anger consume me. I just want to cry and simply have someone hold me. Childish, yes I know, but I just want that feeling of protectiveness and I've yet to find with anyone and probably never will find in this lifetime. If anything it is that I have learned that men for all their worth are useless unless they are there emotionally. Dad is there financially and such but I'd rather him be there emotionally and physically than anything else. I don't know what I want from him but I know I just want something.' It goes on and such but that's the main part." Reid said.

"Rossi wasn't home a lot when she was younger. She sounds like a child who wants their parent and seems lost." Hotch said as flashes of all the times he missed putting Jack or Madison to bed because he'd chosen to work at the dining room table instead of giving them a simple half hour of his time. Would that be Jack's journal entry some day? Asking and begging for him on the inside while showing false strength on the outside? Would it be his children dying inside because of the pain of his absence in their life? How would they even begin to cope with out Claire?

Walking along a ridge, Hotch stopped and looked out at the tree line.

"Keeping reading Reid, look for any details that could lead us to where she is." Hotch said before he ended the call.

The tree line looked peaceful and some of the leaves were already changing. Any other day Aaron could have just sat there enjoying the silence and the tranquility of moment but Madison was present in his heart and mind. He wasn't looking at a peaceful tree line; he was looking at the forest where his daughter was missing in.

As he was turning he wasn't sure but what something caught Hotch's eye.

A tail below on the forest floor about one hundred feet below the ridge.

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><p><strong>Short yes, but I'll update again...<strong>


	57. Chapter 57

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to wtiger5, taitaliney-2049, i'moneinamillion, Nat-y2k2, babygg, LoveLots27, marydd45, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, Duchess of Lantern Waste, D'Arean, Katara Melody Cullen, shippolove844 for your reviews! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

* * *

><p>"<em>Angels sail back to God on the sea of joy." ~Terri Guillemets<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Seven: Bodies Are Found**

_Saturday…September 2…11:08AM…_

Hotch looked again and rubbed his eyes. Was he dreaming or just hallucinating because of lack of sleep. A whitish colored tail lay on the bottom of the forest floor over the ridge. Heart pounding his chest, Aaron called Morgan over to confirm what he was seeing as they both began looking for a way to get down the ridge.

It was Morgan who found a small path way down twenty minutes later and Hotch quickly descended first. The part of the forest was thick. No definitive path guided Hotch and Morgan as they began to dig through the wet trees and leaves to where Hotch had seen the supposed tail.

Nearly an hour after Hotch had seen the tail they were at the point where Hotch had seen the tail.

Just like above on the ridge, a whitish tail stuck out from a hollowed out area and curled around. It looked almost like a dog's tail in Hotch's mind.

Taking their guns out of the holsters, both Hotch and Morgan crouched down. Reaching for the tail, Hotch gave a hard yank and a whimper came out of the animal.

"Should we move this thing or just move on? Hotch we need to find Madison before anything worse happened to her." Morgan said as he stood and put his gun away.

Hotch ignored Morgan, a gut instinct told him that he needed to see what was behind the tail. Putting his gun away, Hotch slid his hands under the hips of the animal and pulled hard. Another groan came as Vanilla appeared. Hotch pulled the dog all the way out of the log and looked at him.

The dog looked like it had been beaten multiple times and his eyes were slowly blinking at Hotch. Vanilla made no move to even lick him hello. The two year pup that Hotch had found that was perfect for Claire lay half in his arms as the dog whimpered again.

Evan had beaten his dog.

Did the man's insanity end any where?

"Morgan, call the medics." Hotch said as he gently laid Vanilla down on his side and petted the top of his head. Closing his eyes, Vanilla just breathed shallowly as he rested. It broke Hotch's heart to see a such a beloved family pet hurt. Vanilla had always taken care of the family and had been comfort when they needed it.

Why would Evan Mackenzie leave Vanilla out in the woods?

Looking into the log, Hotch spotted a bundle that was whimpering just like Vanilla was sounding almost the same that he would have never heard it had Vanilla not stopped crying.

Madison.

Reaching in, he pulled the bundle out and pulled the wet blanket back to see Madison's red and watery face looking back up at him.

What happened in the minutes following Hotch didn't know but he could vaguely hear Morgan radioing in that they had found Madison and that they needed a chopper ready to transport them to the closest hospital.

Quickly taking off the scrap of blanket that Madison had been carelessly wrapped in, Hotch took of his fleece coat and rewrapped his crying daughter. He didn't even realize he was crying till a tear hit his hand.

Madison was alive. That was all that mattered at that second. He'd kept his promise to Claire. Holding Madison, Hotch tucked his little girl's head under his chin and held her close. Her hoarse sobs continued but weren't as before. She was calming down, as if she truly knew that he'd keep her safe. Kissing her head once before covering it with the coat, Hotch held her as the rain started again and the already chilly air became worse.

He had Madison and she was safe.

Hotch said a prayer of thanks to God. And this time he said it out loud.

* * *

><p>Protecting Madison was all Hotch could think about as he sheltered her from the rain while they walked back to the clearing where the St. Mercy's Child Life Support helicopter waited for them. The doors were already open as Hotch was forced to hand over Madison to the team waiting to take care of her. The medical team told him that they would be taking just her because she was an emergency lift. He would have to meet them at the hospital.<p>

Hotch wanted to fight and argue with the man but Rossi's voice over the ear piece told him that he'd already spoken to the pilot of the helicopter and that the pilot agreed to take them to where ever they needed to go.

Prentiss pulled him back and Hotch watched with a heavy heart as Madison was taken way from him. As one helicopter left, another one landed. Rossi jumped down and the team climbed into the helicopter.

Hotch closed his eyes.

Claire…where was she?

Was she still even in this world?

Was she with Maddy in spirit?

The thought of her already being gone broke Hotch's heart. He'd just found Madison, all he needed to do was find Claire and maybe for just a second everything would be alright.

Claire had to be alright and he had to find her. He and their children needed her like they all needed oxygen.

Hotch sat in Jack's room as his son quietly slept in the bed and watched him. The past hour had been spent in filling out paperwork and keeping a strong front on but in the moment he felt utter exhaustion. Claire was still missing and he didn't know what to do.

Madison was being taken care of in the nursery and he'd been able to hold her once more before she'd been moved to the Pediatric ICU. She'd been calm and had simply slept in his arms for the ten minutes the nurse had let him hold her.

Both of his children were exhausted emotionally and physically. Hotch wasn't surprised with the past twenty-four hours they'd had as the looming thought of Claire's death entered his mind.

If she truly was gone what did he do?

Glancing at the clock which read three-fifteen, Hotch felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Standing, he took the phone into the hall where he answered it.

"Hotchner."

"It's Reid. We need you."

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><p><strong>Leave a review!<strong>


	58. Chapter 58

**Hello Everyone! I meant to update on Monday but time just has a way of getting away, doesn't? Anyways, I thought I'd give some news. Good news is that I've almost completed this puppy! Bad news is that this is my only update this week because I've got to go to a wedding this weekend…sucks I know. **

**Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! You guys are amazing.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

**Ps…See AN down below for special details**_**.**_

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><p>"<em>Tears are the silent language of grief." ~Voltaire<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Eight: Prisoner of Love**

_Saturday…September 2…12:30PM…_

Claire moaned in pain as Evan's hands wrapped around her throat again. Twice he'd already choked her until she passed out and woke her up again to repeat the process. Pain was everywhere as once again his hands tightened around Claire's neck.

It wasn't long before the tiny black dots once again covered her vision.

"Please stop…you're hurting me." Claire whispered roughly and he stopped briefly.

"I can't do that Claire. I need you to feel the pain I've felt for years." Mackenzie said before he slammed the back of Claire head into the cement floor, "Your husband wrongly accused my brother of murders and rapes. I need you to feel one tenth of the pain I've felt for his wrongful conviction."

"You…are just…like him…you and your brother are both…murders…" Claire said before she passed out. The last hour of abuse finally taking its toll on her body and the peaceful darkness was welcomed.

Evan smiled viciously at her as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

What he had planned for her was worse than she could ever imagine.

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><p>…<em>4 PM…BAU…<em>

Things didn't add up in Hotch's mind. Why would Evan Mackenzie turn himself in? He stared at the man through the interrogation window and scowled. This was the son of a bitch that had put his family through hell and his children in the hospital.

"You'll break the glass if you scowl too hard." Rossi said standing next to him as they both watched Morgan enter the room. Hotch didn't reply.

"I want to speak with Agent Hotchner." Evan said with a sadistic smile, "I want to know how he enjoyed his last few presents."

Hotch tightened his jaw and resisted the urge to strangle the man. The last few gifts had hurt.

Madison's pink dress and shoes.

Claire's black lace night gown.

Claire's red lace bra and panty set.

Sofia's heart preserved perfectly from two years ago.

The sexually explicit pictures of him and Claire had hurt the most. The thought that he'd never be able to share that physical and emotional closeness with her felt like a deep cut to his heart. He'd thought more about the night before when he'd made love to desperately and continued to try and solidify it in his mind.

If it was his last time to love her physically, Aaron wanted to remember it perfectly.

"You won't speak to Aaron Hotchner Evan." Morgan snapped, "So help me God I won't play your games."

"Too late. I know where Claire is and she has about an hour of oxygen left. You better play."

Hotch moved away and threw open the door of the interrogation room and slammed his hand down on the steel table to which Evan was chained and was in the man's face.

"Where is she Evan!"

Evan just smiled as both men looked unflinchingly at each other, neither breaking eye contact with the other.

Hotch stared at the man and tried to control his anger. He had the desire to slam the boy's head down onto table a few times but resisted.

"Hello Agent Hotchner. It's been a while." Evan said.

"Where is she?"

"I want you to pardon me and my brother. He never murdered those women."

"Where is she?"

"You pardon us and I'll tell where she is."

Hotch slammed his hand down again and stood up to his full six foot two inch imposing height and stared hard at Evan.

"I'd never give you a pardon. You've murdered seven women that's unpardonable in any courts eyes. You'll rot in hell just like your brother."

Evan's angry eyes met Hotch's cool ones and he struggled against the cuffs holding him in his chair to hit Hotch.

Hotch turned and left slamming the door behind him and looked at Rossi's annoyed look.

"Don't look at me like that. Claire does when I've forgotten something which often." Hotch said as he walked to the hall towards the bullpen.

"Was that needed?"

"Yes. We just learned that Claire has an hour of oxygen left and if we give Morgan an hour he'll get the location." Hotch said with hope in his voice.

Claire was still alive and that was all that mattered.

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><p>Reid sat in the attic of the old Rossi house with JJ looking through Hotch's wife's life. JJ smiled as she showed him a picture.<p>

"They look happy."

It was a picture of Hotch and Claire at a wedding of a friend, both had a flute of champagne and looked perfect with a clean cut tux and bridesmaid dress.

"Sharon's wedding Oct. 2, Aaron Hotchner and Claire Rossi." JJ said reading the back.

"She's very beautiful," Reid said picking up another picture of a blonde woman with the same blue eyes and smile, "Who is this Maria?"

Reid handed Maria, who had been helping them with the boxes, the picture.

"That's Gianna, Claire's birth mother. She died when Claire was a little girl because she crashed her car with of a combination of sleeping pills, cocaine and liquor in the middle of the night one night. It wasn't really devastating for Claire. She barely knew Gianna and anything she did know came from Dave or me. Gianna didn't even want to see her. I think that's why for so long she had the drive to be perfect and do everything perfectly. She wanted at least one of her parents to sit up and notice her." Maria said handing the picture back to Reid, "When Gianna was sober she was the nicest woman you'd ever meet. But once drugs came into play she became a mean nasty person. It was a struggle to keep Gianna sober when she was pregnant with Claire. We had several scares."

JJ sadly shook her head. She couldn't imagine ever putting Henry in that kind of danger when she'd been pregnant with him. She understood know why Rossi had seemed a little overprotective when he talked about Claire. He and Maria had been the ones to keep her safe even before she was born.

"Where is Gianna buried?" JJ asked.

"Summerville Cemetery."

Reid's phone rang. It was Prentiss telling them that they were needed at the BAU. Taking the picture of Gianna with them, Maria escorted them to the front door and left with them to go to the hospital and be with her grandchildren who were being watched by Marilyn at the moment.

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><p>Claire blinked in the darkness of where ever she was. The blackness was someone comforting. The pounding feeling in her head was still present as was the pain in her body. However the bed she laid on was a nice change from the hard ground. Moving to sit up she hit her head on the ceiling above her. Claire's heart rate sped up.<p>

Where was she?

Lifting her hands above her she pushed against the ceiling which didn't move at all. Feeling around her Claire found what felt like a flash light and a cell phone. Clicking the flash light on, Claire pointed it at her feet her heart stopped.

White cloth covered her like a blanket and the ceiling above her too. She swallowed the scream threatening to escape her as she read the note at printed on the wall by her feet in deep blood red.

**Enjoy sleeping forever Claire.**

Flashing the light around the small air Claire felt a panic attack coming on.

Evan Mackenzie had buried her alive.

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><p><strong>Leave a review! Oh! and I've started my new House fic, it's not yet posted but if anyone wants a quick synopsis I was thinking of posting a little paragraph about it with the new chapter of Make A Memory next week…let me know if you want a quick snap shot.<strong>

**Mxoxo**


	59. Chapter 59

**Hello Everyone! Sorry for the wait!**

**Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! You guys are amazing.**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p><em>"The art of love... is largely the art of persistence." ~Albert Ellis<em>

**Chapter Fifty-Nine: Puzzle Pieces**

_Saturday…September 2…4:30PM…_

The team sorted through every piece of information that Evan had given them and they had collected. Hotch and Reid looked at the timeline and board. They had ever detail that they could need but what did Mackenzie do with Claire?

There were just too many places that could be important to Claire that Mackenzie could have taken her to. Churches, vacation places and such were all included.

"We know that Mackenzie had a comfort zone of two hundred miles." Hotch said, "Everything in that radius is important. Focus on that."

"That cuts out about half the list." Reid said staring at the board.

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><p>Garcia sat in her cave researching everything that she could ever find on Claire. It felt like she was intruding on her best friend's privacy but she kept telling herself that if she did this Claire would be alright.<p>

Her phone rang and putting her ear piece on Garcia answered it.

"The Cave, how can I help you?"

"Garcia?" Claire's frantic voice said into the phone.

Garcia dropped her pen, "Claire? Oh my God I'll get Hotch."

She ran to the conference room and looked at Hotch, Rossi, Prentiss, Reid and JJ.

"Claire's on the phone." She said and both Hotch and Rossi practically ran to her office where Claire was sobbing on the phone.

"Claire? Sweetheart can you hear me?" Hotch said putting the phone on speaker phone, "Garcia start tracing the call."

"Ar- I can't he- -ou," Claire's voice said cutting out.

"Claire calm down, where are you?" Rossi said gently hoping to stop her from having a panic attack.

"-ark and bur- -van."

"Claire you need to breath." Hotch said looking at Garcia, "How are we doing?"

"I can't get a signal. Where ever she is there is limited signal."

"Impossible." Rossi said, "The whole area has unlimited cell service."

"-ack and –addy?"

"They're safe Claire. I need to get you where are you?" Hotch asked again hoping that she would calm down enough to tell him where she was.

"Claire?" Hotch said, "Clarissa! Where are you?"

All Hotch got was a dial tone.

"Did you manage to get anything?" Rossi asked.

Garcia typed away at her computer and smiled, "I managed to narrow it down to a fifty mile radius."

* * *

><p>The call was dropped and Claire tried to stop hyperventilating but she couldn't. She wanted Aaron and she wanted him to hold her and just keep her safe.<p>

She didn't want to be in the cold ground. This wasn't supposed to happen.

Right now she should be getting dressed to go out with Aaron and be watching Jack and Maddy sitting on her bed while she put make up on.

Where were Jack and Maddy? Knowing Aaron they were probably safe as they could be but she wanted to hold them.

She closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness came over her.

There was only so much oxygen in the coffin and she needed to relax and try to make it last for as long as possible. Claire tried to think of a happier memory and the one she picked was the one of yesterday morning and Aaron just holding her as they laid in bed whispering about little things. Her favorite part of the memory was when Aaron kissed behind her ear and whispered that he loved and he was content to spend the rest of his life in that moment with her lying in their bed.

As long as she kept her eyes closed and thought of that memory she'd be okay…

* * *

><p>Reid listened to the conversation again and looked at the board again with JJ.<p>

"All the possible places she could be shouldn't have cell phone connection loss. Unless…"

Reid stared at the picture they had attached to the board of Gianna and then looked to the map.

Summerville was within the fifty mile limit and if you were below ground you'd have bad cell phone reception.

Reid nearly jumped up and ran to the interrogation room where Hotch and Rossi were.

"You're going to tell me where Clarissa Hotchner is Evan or I call the Attorney General and tell him I've got the man who killed six women and I turn you over to the police and they deal with you." Morgan threatened again.

Evan just smiled, "You'll never find her."

"Watch me find her you son of a bitch." Morgan growled.

Reid rushed past Rossi and Hotch who were sitting there discussing possible leads and threw the door opened to the interrogation room.

"You buried her in Summerville Cemetery didn't you?" Reid said. "You said that she only has a limited amount of oxygen and the phone call we got from her was lost because of bad connection. The only place that would have that type of bad connection would be underground. You buried her next to Gianna because losing her parent was the single most life shaping event that she experienced just like your brother's confession of murdering those women."

Evan's smile dropped.

"You're body language is also telling me he's right. If we go there, there's probably a freshly dug grave beside Gianna's isn't there?" Morgan said, "And your little bluff didn't work did it. You turned yourself in knowing that we'd probably put it all together so as a security to yourself you came in here hoping to throw us off the trail. I have Garcia call the local law enforcement office to get him on the murders of those six women."

Hotch had heard the whole thing as well as Rossi and instantly was out the door. Prentiss joined them and they left to go to Summerville.

Time was running out.

It was 4:55PM.

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><p><strong>I'll post the first chapter of my new House fic sometime tonight. <strong>

**Leave some reviews and tell me what you think! You guys no the drill, ten reviews gets a new chapter!**


	60. Chapter 60

**Hello Everyone! Sorry for the wait, thanks to everyone who left a review! You guys are awesome! Anyways, I won't hold you up from this juicey chapter. It's longer than the last one! I promise! **

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>I believe in prayer. It's the best way we have to draw strength from heaven." ~Josephine Baker<em>

**Chapter Sixty: Paper Thin Lines**

_Saturday…September 2…5:07PM…_

Rossi drove the SUV, sirens wailing and all as fast as they could to the cemetery. The rest of the team was behind them in a second SUV. They'd already called in back up and were still twenty minutes away from the cemetery.

It was twenty minutes that Claire didn't have.

Everything rested on them being able to get to Claire in time. The anxiety filled Hotch as fast as the car was speeding. They'd found her and he had to stay positive as hard as it was. He said a silent prayer that if she was alive he'd name his next child after Reid if that's what it took.

Cars slowed and let them pass and for a second Hotch wondered if they ever thought about what they were doing.

Did they ever think that they were the people that stopped serial killers?

That his wife was dying and he needed to save her?

"Morgan said that if needed there is a digger waiting in case she's already been buried." Prentiss said hanging up her phone.

"Good." Rossi said, "We're five minutes out."

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><p>Pulling into the parking lot of Summerville, Hotch barely waited for Rossi to stop before jumping out of the Suberbean and running up the hill of the cemetery with both Prentiss and Morgan hot on his heals.<p>

Gianna's grave was a walk and she was buried on practically the other side of the cemetery. Hotch ran as hard as he could minuvering around grave markers and head stones. His eyes scanned for Gianna's name and Hotch spotted a casket being lowered into the ground next to her.

"Stop!" he yelled as the workers continued to lower the casket.

They did and Hotch and Rossi were instantly at the caskets side.

"We need to open it!" Rossi yelled and the workers began helping to lift the already sealed lid.

Hotch and Rossi both helped to lift the lid as Morgan raced in to help also.

The lid flew open with the force of all the men lifting and Claire's body laid motionless inside. Her body was almost completly covered in bruises except her face. What concerned everyone the most was the body that was covering her shirt and the fresh blood that was quickly flowing from her stomach.

"Get a medic!" Rossi yelled.

"She's not breathing." Morgan said, "Get her out of there. We have to start CPR."

Hotch slid his hand under her neck and lifted her head as Rossi and Morgan lifted her also.

Setting her on the ground, Morgan moved away.

"I'm going to flag get the medics." he yelled running away as Rossi felt for pulse.

Hotch watched as Rossi felt her neck and moved to listen to her chest.

"No pulse, starting chest compressions."

Rossi began CPR and Hotch moved to give Claire two breaths when Rossi had given thirty chest compressions.

Rossi heart was pounding as he watched Hotch give her breathes. He began giving chest compressions again as memories of every moment he's ever spent with her.

Her birth…

Her first step…

Her first words…

Her first day of school…

The first time he caught her kissing a boy…

Her first dance…

Graduation…

Nursing school…

Her wedding…

Jack's birth…

Every moment that was important flashed in his mind along with every unimportant moment.

She couldn't be gone.

His Claire was a fighter and would be till the end of time, she couldn't give up this easily.

The sound of other people arriving as Hotch gave Claire another two breaths brought him out of his thoughts.

Claire began to cough up blood and turned onto her side as Hotch helped her. She was semi-conscious, not knowing where she was or what was happening around her. Hotch helped her to lie on her back as she passed out again and seemed to hoke on the blood that she was coughing up. The medics came and everything happened in a flash that Rossi could quite remember.

The EMTs were putting Claire onto a gurney and putting an oxygen mask on her.

Hotch walking with her and holding her had.

Morgan talking with the local law enforcement.

Rossi didn't even realize he was crying until he felt something touch his shoulder. Looking behind him, no one was there but looking down he spotted Gianna's grave. The angel looking heaven ward touched Rossi's heart.

"Thank you Gina for whatever you did."

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><p>Rossi sat in the back of the ambulance with Claire holding her hand and gently running his finger through her milk chocolate colored hair.<p>

"Daddy?" she whisphered to him.

"Everything is alright sweetheart just close your eyes." Rossi said kissing her hand.

"Aaron?" she said hoarsely. The heart monitor beeped as Claire's heart rate dropped below thirty-five.

"He's in the car behind us. Emily's driving and you have a police escort." Rossi said simply trying not to overload Claire's already stressed mind with information. She simply nodded and closed her eyes. The monitor again beeped as Claire's heart rate rapidly began decending and quickly flatlined.

Her hand went limp in Rossi's hand as the medic pushed him out of the way and began performing CPR again in the hopes of saving Claire from the grips of death for a second time that night.

* * *

><p>Hotch sat in the waiting room of the ER with Jack asleep on his lap. The little boy had seen him and had latched onto him like a leach. Hotch didn't mind it at all but understood that it was a sign that Jack had suffered some trauma from the whole situation with Mackenzie.<p>

It didn't surprise Hotch at all that Jack would want to be with him and be kept safe. From what his mother and Maria had said Jack was already having a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. In the past hour Jack had only woken up once citing he'd had a nightmare but to Aaron that was better than Jack refusing to sleep because he was scared. Kissing the top of Jack's head, Hotch said a prayer of thanks into Jack's hair that God had spared his family even if they would all carry scares for the rest of their lives. As long as Madison slept peacefully in the NICU, Jack slept in his arms and Claire fought for her life and Vanilla healed, Hotch vowed he'd never take them for granted every again. If anything, Mackenzie had shown him how precious life was and that he only had one shot with his children and wife. They were worth so much more than a job.

Even though things would never quite be the way the way that they used to be they were still a family.

However, worry was still present in his mind for Claire. Seeing the doctor's wheeling her down the hall had been scary. They were shouting out instructions at various people and trying to help Claire hang on just a little while longer until they could get her into surgery.

Hearing the words, internal bleeding and head injury were scarred into Hotch's memory.

What if she didn't make it and died on the table?

How could he bare it if he'd come this far only just to lose her in the end?

Hotch was drawn out of his thoughts by the sight of a surgeon walking out into the waiting room.

"Clarissa Hotchner?" he said quietly but loud enough that he could be heard.

Hotch stood and gently handed a sleeping Jack to Rossi who'd been sitting next to him the whole time. Rossi might not have shown it physically, but Hotch could tell that the man was worried about her.

With one last look at the team who had stayed and supported him, Hotch walked towards the doctor easily slipping into what Claire often called his 'Agent Hotchner' persona and introduced himself to the surgeon as her husband.

"How is she?" he asked.

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><p><strong>I know I'm so mean but I had to stop here. It seemed like the best place. (Ducking flying fruits and other various objects.) <strong>

**Anyway, if you're a House M.D. fan I just posted the second chapter to my new fic called A Sacred Life. Pop over and see what you think of it...**

**Leave a reveiw, you know the drill. Ten reviews equals a new chapter!:)**


	61. Chapter 61

**Hello Everyone! Thanks to all who have reviewed including: Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, Destiny Xavier16, Duchess of Lantern Waste, taitaliney-2049, i'moneinamillion, Nat-y2k2, Bmangaka, shippolove844, Lady Wesker, livforever26, Elfsquire90, danie568, Katara Melody Cullen and VampireGleek! You guys are awesome!**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!**

**Mxoxo**

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><p>"<em>You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving." ~Author Unknown<em>

**Chapter Sixty-One: Love is the Shining Light in Darkness**

_Sunday…September 3…2:54AM…_

Hotch watched Claire sleep in the private room that they'd been given on the floor. She looked like she was finally peaceful and dreaming happily. The slow beep of the monitor reassured Hotch that Claire was still there with him and breathing. The oxygen mask that covered her mouth and nose helped her to breathe while the pads on her chest monitored her heart. Hotch replayed the conversation over and over in his head with the doctor.

_"How is she?" he asked._

_"I won't lie to you Mr. Hotchner; your wife is in critical condition. She's had massive internal bleeding as well as several fractured ribs and trauma to her head, neck, back and heart. We aren't sure how long she was deprived of oxygen so at this point it's hard to say if there is any brain damage. However, we were able to successfully stop the bleeding and her heart so far is holding out. She did code twice on the table but we brought her back. What's important now is that we keep her stable and tomorrow we'll get a full work up again to see what else has been effected. She's in recovery now if you want to see her."_

_"Thank you."_

Watching Claire move in her sleep, Hotch ran his thumb against the back of her hand soothingly. She stopped moving and rested on her side with her head lay limp on the pillow facing him. Taking in a shaky breath, Hotch sat down on the bed and slowly laid down next to her. Her breathing was even and her eyes slightly fluttering as he moved his arm under her neck. Both of them were lying on their sides as Claire's eyes slowly opened.

"Aaron?" Claire asked in a weak and muffled voice as she pulled the mask down to her chin, "Where am I?"

Gently brushing his fingertips across her temple, Hotch fought back tears of relief that she was talking to him.

`"You're at St. Mercy's Hospital in DC Claire. How do you feel? Do you need me to go get a nurse or anything?" Hotch asked moving to stand.

Claire grabbed his shirt and he could see tears in her eyes, "Please just stay here with me."

Nodding, Hotch gently moved her hand from his shirt and took off his shoes and stood drawing back the covers. Sliding between them, he made sure that Claire was as comfortable as possible before letting he relaxed. He looked into her eyes not realizing he was crying until she moved to wipe away a tear.

"What time and day is it?" she asked softly.

"It's about three am on Sunday the third of September." Hotch replied quietly as he moved the oxygen mask back to where it was supposed to be.

"Where are Jack and Maddy?"

"They're with your dad for the night. They're both safe Claire. Just sleep sweetheart. I promise that I'll answer all your questions tomorrow. Just know that everyone is safe and that no one will hurt you."

Pressing a kiss to Claire's forehead, Hotch felt Claire nod.

"I love you." She mumbled sleepily to him.

"I love you too Claire. I love you so much." Hotch said as Claire fell asleep. He however couldn't. Claire was in his arms, safe and alive. It was all he could ask for and he prayed again that God could get him through the coming months ahead of them. If there was one thing that Hotch had learned in the field it was that not all scars were physical. Sometimes, the worst scars were emotional.

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><p>"I want to see Jack and Maddy." Claire said three days later as they waited for the doctor to come by and check on Claire. Since seven am that morning she'd been awake and demanding to see her children. For two days she'd slept after her surgery but that morning she'd woken up like no one had tried to kill her at all.<p>

"Let's just let the doctor's do their work up and everything. Let's get you healthy first then I'll bring Jack and Maddy by to see you. Fair?" Hotch said.

Claire glared at him, "Don't talk to me like I'm five years old Aaron Hotchner. I want to see my children and after having nearly died three or four days ago I need to see them."

"I know Claire but just wait for a moment-"

She burst into tears and pushed him away covering her face with her hands, "I just want to see if they're fine for myself. For God sake's Aaron I watched that psycho try and drown my son and lock him in a freezer. God only knows what he did to my daughter. Please I just want to see them and hold them."

Hotch held her as she cried. He'd been expecting tears at some point. Claire was a strong woman but no one went through a situation like the one she'd been through without crying a few tears. Resting his chin on top of her head, he rubbed her back soothingly.

"I'll call Rossi and see if he can bring them while you're getting the second MRI. That way when you're finished you can see them." Hotch said softly knowing that he couldn't deny Claire her children any longer. He didn't know what had happened in those twenty four hours that Mackenzie had tortured his family but Aaron knew that they need each other to get through the trauma before it destroyed everyone. After nearly an hour of tears, Claire managed to be calm when the nurses came to take her away to get her MRI. Slipping outside, Hotch stood on one of the many lawns of the hospital and called Rossi.

"Can you bring Jack and Maddy to the hospital? Claire wants to see them Dave and I can't fight her on it. I don't know what happened in to everyone but I think Claire witnessed what happened to Jack and Madison. She needs them." Hotch said simply.

"I'll bring them at one o'clock." Rossi said, "Maria is just making Jack pancakes now. He didn't sleep very well. I think he's having nightmares already about what he's witnessed Aaron. I had to get him and bring him to sleep with me the past few nights just so that he could calm down a little. He probably slept maybe two hours last night the hospital with you and I don't know maybe two here at my house. It's been like that for the past few days. I tried to take him back to your house to get a change of clothes this morning but he almost had a panic attack. Jack started hyperventilating and everything Aaron."

Hotch began walking down a path slowly that covered the lawn and pinched the bridge of his nose, "What should I do? Sell the house? The idea of living in that home after what Evan Mackenzie did to my family makes me sick."

"Sell the damn place." Rossi said gruffly into the phone, "Have a clean slate for healing your family Aaron. Make a new home because this is like a new life. Everyone's been given a second chance and this is your one shot to make everything right."

Hotch could see the logic in the statement and agreed, "Any ideas on how to make a house sell overnight?"

"Leave it all to me Aaron."

* * *

><p>Claire was on pins and needles waiting for Jack and Madison to arrive. Every time she closed her eyes she could hear Jack screaming at her to get the bad man to stop hurting him. Each time it happened she could feel tears gather in her eyes and guilt flood her at not being able to keep Jack safe and an overwhelming feeling of shame filled her. She should have done more. Jack was her son and she failed to keep him safe.<p>

"Stop it." Aaron said gently sitting on the bed, "Stop torturing yourself Claire. You have a look of self loathing on your face that doesn't look like it should be there."

Claire blinked wearily at him, "I can't help it. I failed him. I didn't keep Jack safe. I didn't keep either of them safe. This is my entire fault."

"No it's not." Hotch said forcefully, "This isn't anyone's fault but Evan Mackenzie's. The only way that we're going to recover from this Claire is if we forgive ourselves and realize none of this is our fault. We can't blame ourselves or each other. It's not healthy for anyone to be blaming themselves in this situation. We had no control over anything. Can you please not blame yourself and forgive yourself for whatever guilt you have?"

Claire looked Aaron in the eyes and nodded, "Only if you can promise me you'll do everything that you asked me to do."

Without blinking, Aaron agreed. Holding each other, Hotch didn't even realize that Jack and Madison had shown up till he heard Jack's cry of happiness.

"Mommy!" he yelled running as fast as his little legs could carry him to the bed where Hotch lifted him up.

"Jack!" Claire cried happily and quickly embraced the little boy in a tight hug and peppered kisses all over his hair. Tears of joy were falling from her face as she held her son.

"Mommy you're squeezing me too tight," Jack said resting his head over Claire's heart and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I just love you so much Jack." Claire said slowly rocking back and forth with her son in her arms.

"I love you too mommy." Jack said softly as his eyes fluttered open and closed again like he was on the verge of falling asleep. Hotch watched as he took Madison from Rossi and the old man left with a smile to Hotch and a whisper of advice about spending time with his family.

"I'll take care of everything at the BAU. Don't worry Hotch."

Climbing into bed, Hotch held his family in his arms telling everyone how much he loved them and discovered that Rossi had put the movie Finding Nemo in the DVD player of the hospital room's TV before he'd left. It was the one movie that could actually soothe Jack and could help everyone forget about the situation at hand.

Hotch smiled softly as Jack and Claire snuggled together under the covers to watch the movie as Jack whispered sleepily again how much he loved his mommy and daddy. Wrapping an arm around Claire's shoulders, Hotch felt a small tear of relief slid down his cheek as he spent the afternoon watching a child's movie with his family.

Only once did the nurse interrupt to check on Claire's condition and deemed her on the road to recovery.

They were all on the road to recovery from the horror that had been Evan Mackenzie.

Pressing a kiss to Claire's temple, Hotch murmered to her how much he loved her and was reward by her lips finding his in a sweet kiss that reminded him just how lucky he was that Claire was his wife and the love of his life.

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><p><strong>Leave a review and tell me what you think of the reunion! I think this may just be the last chapter of this story…I'm not sure yet:-)!<strong>

**Mxoxo**


	62. Chapter 62

**Here it is, the end...**

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><p>"<em>He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that he did not know where he ended and she began." ~Leo Tolstoy<em>

**Epilogue: Don't Stop Believin'**

_Fifteen years later…_

"The duck said quack and the cow goes moo." Five year old Sofia Hotchner read carefully as she sat on Hotch's lap at his desk.

"Good job Sofia!" Hotch praised with a smile. Sofia had successfully read the page in her book for school and clapped.

"I did it!" she squealed happily. Hotch chuckled and turned the page, "Try this sentence too."

Sofia had been having a hard time reading and both Claire and him suspected that like Jack, Sofia was dyslexic. It had been a shock to find out that Jack was having a hard time reading when he was little but now at eighteen he was in the top of all his senior high school classes and had received a full ride to Harvard where Jack intended to study law and become a prosecutor just like his father had been. Jack, like all his children made Aaron proud.

In the months following Evan Mackenzie's attack Hotch had taken months off and tried to piece his family back together, helping them with their fears and anxieties. They'd taken Jack to a therapist who helped children with sleeping disorders and who suffered from night terrors and she had suggested that Jack try music as a coping skill.

Jack had been a natural at the piano and had only moved on from there. He also played the trumpet, cello and violin. Claire had always encouraged him to explore everything he'd wanted to. Whether it was volunteering at a shelter for lost animals or it was working at the local hospital taking patients to various parts of the hospital and back to the room, Jack had always been open to trying new things. Even with dyslexia he'd worked hard to overcome anything life threw at him and he even helped Sofia with her reading. Many times Hotch would come home to see Jack and Sofia sitting on the floor helping each other with their reading. It warmed his heart to see that his children were becoming good people.

"Dad!" his younger son called walking into the office. Daniel Hotchner or Danny as he preferred was just as handsome as his father and other brother also looking like a carbon copy of Hotch just without Claire's bright blue eyes but his dark ones instead, "Mom's crying again. Jack told me to come get you."

Hotch chuckled, "Your brother's performing in his last band performance that's why she's upset."

Danny nodded, "Yeah well, I think Jack's tired of being lint rolled."

Hotch burst out laughing and Sofia giggled, "I have to see this."

Sofia ran to Danny who picked her up in his full band uniform and settled her on his hip. Hotch followed them and smiled as Sofia and Danny whispered and laughed together. Walking down the wrap around staircase of their five bedroom house, Hotch could hear laughter and crying in the kitchen.

Jack was standing in the middle of the kitchen with his arms at his side as Claire tried to gel his hair.

"Oh for God sake's go sit in a chair Jack, you're too tall." She exclaimed throwing the comb down on the counter.

At six foot four, Jack towered over his mother and sisters. Danny was closing in on him though at six foot two and Hotch had only lost a half inch as he'd gotten older.

Jack just smiled a dimpled smile and pulled out a stool and sat down, "I thought I was useful at Thanksgiving for getting that tray you always need from the pantry?"

"You are just let me comb and gel your hair one last time before your final show." Claire said tearfully.

Jack looked sheepishly at Danny, "At least she's not rolling me anymore."

Hotch laughed again as Madison came into the kitchen, "Sofia can you zip me up?"

Sofia nodded and zipped up the back of Madison's cheerleader top that was black with red and sliver stripes.

Hotch stood at the counter watching his family and smiled. Things weren't perfect but they weren't terrible. He still worked with the BAU and was sometimes gone but he'd always called and Skyped his family. It was funny to try and watch them all cram in front of the laptop in the kitchen and watch his four children try and share about their day. Despite everything, Hotch had come up with many ways to be present in his children's life. Claire video tapped every activity that was happening in their lives that he wasn't present for and she'd send it to him. His team had learned not to bother HOtch on jet ride homes because he used the time to catch up with what he'd missed in the lives of his children. Another thing that he'd changed was bringing work home with him. Hotch didn't bring work home with him often instead he chose that having a family dinner every night was more important. Every time he was home, his family would sit down to a meal together and there was always laughter.

Hotch watched Jack text in his full band uniform as Claire did his hair and chuckled to himself. He was happy that his son was so tolerant of Claire's mothering needs. It was Jack's senior year and in July of the next year he'd been moving out and going to college. Both Claire and he new the day would come when Jack, Madison, Danny and Sofia would leave them but it had felt like hardly any time had passed.

"There all done." Claire announced.

Jack smiled and stood, "Thanks Mom."

He kissed her cheek and put the silver and red sparkling sash he had to wear as the commander of the marching band. The silver gloves showed his role of leadrership also.

"How do I look?" he asked.

Sofia giggled, "Megan Davidson won't be able to keep her eyes off you."

Jack blushed as both Madison and Claire burst into laughter.

Megan Davidson was the senior cheerleader that Jack had had a crush on since freshman year of high school.

"You look fine man. Don't freak she'll say yes." Danny called as he put on his black gloves and silver sash also.

"Yes to what?" Claire asked helping Madison do her hair in a high pony tail with curls.

"Jack's going to ask Megan to Homecoming." Danny supplied.

Jack looked heaven ward and mumbled what sounded like a prayer begging God not to let him strangle Danny.

"It's a good thing." Hotch said as Claire looked at him with a secret smile.

"Good luck Jack-Jack!" Sofia said running to Hotch and begged to be picked up.

"Thanks Sofia."

"Shoot!" Claire exclaimed, "We're going to be late!"

Everyone started scrabbling for their shoes.

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><p>Hotch chuckled as he watched Jack on the other side of the football field inspect the lines of the marching band before their performance. He could see so much of himself in the young man that it was funny.<p>

"He's so your son. Don't ever tell me you're not the father." Claire said cracking a smile.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Hotch said as he waved to Rossi and the team.

"I didn't realize you guys sat so close to the field." Garcia said with a smile hugging Sofia who shot out of her seat to hug her Aunt Penny.

"Best seats in the house." Rossi said with a smile as he sat down next to Claire.

Hotch spotted Madison waving to Rossi from her spot next to Megan cheerleading on the turf field.

"Made it just in time for the band." Reid commented as the speaker for the game began to announcing them.

"For years the Battling Bees have worked their stingers off to make it to state and this year under the direction of Chris Harmer and the four year drum major Jack Hotchner, the Bees have won the Virginia State March Grand Championship. The highest honor any band can receive. With a solo by Danny Hotchner and Kim Lopez, we'll proudly perform out state winning show to you to night and away we go!"

Jack walked across the field as the announcer continued to announce the songs that they'd be playing and saluted the crowed before climbing the seven foot ladder to the platform he stood on where all two-hundred bank members could see him. Jack shouted something that the band heard but Hotch couldn't. He watched as Jack showed the band the tempo and cued them in to begin.

The performance lasted twenty minutes and at the end everyone was on their feet cheering. Jack bowed and saluted the crowd again before climbing down and stood by ladder. The band exited the field but Jack had moved to stand in the center of the field.

Hotch smiled and he heard a familiar song beginning to play.

Journey's Don't Stop Believing.

He laughed as Jack began to dance and laughed even harder as other students ran out to the field and started dancing a choreographed dance with Jack. Megan ran out too and started dancing next to Jack.

They shared a smile and continued to do the choreographed dance.

Every clapped and laughed as they danced.

"This wasn't planned." Rossi said with a chuckle.

"Jack and Danny organized it for the school." Hotch said, "They got a group of people together and did it choreographed after that Ohio State flash mob a few years back. He needed an excuse to talk to Megan and kiss her."

"And you helped him!" Claire laughed, "That's why you've been going to the school in the evenings not to help with lacrosse practice but this! You kept me out of the loop too you mean man!"

Rossi laughed out right as did the rest of the team.

The song ended and whoops came out as everyone laughed harder.

Jack had kissed Megan and was piggy backing her off the field. They were both laughing and smiling. A photographer for the school year book took a picture and Hotch made a mental note to track that kid down later for a photograph. He wanted one to put in the family room as well as on for his lap top. It would make a good screen saver.

Hotch could only smile with pride at what he'd helped his son accomplish as he watched Megan nod yes to Jack asking her to homecoming and Danny carry his current girlfriend Amanda off the field over his shoulder with Madison following and laughing as Doug Freeman wrapped an arm around her and smiled. Everyone had exited the field with a smile and the crowd was roaring with approval. Several people shouting for Jack and Megan to kiss again.

Claire's hand slipped into his and she smiled, "I love you Aaron. Thanks for helping Jack get his first kiss before he left high school."

Hotch squeezed her hand and laughed at her, "I love you too. It would have been bad if my son had left high school not knowing how to kiss a girl."

The both smiled and kissed.

Evan Mackenzie hadn't destroyed them. He'd only made them stronger.

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><p><strong>What an amazing ride it's been! I thought this was only going to be maybe thirty chapter but WOW! This story has been added as over 50 user favorites, alerted by 68 users and has over 38,380 hits with almost five hundred reviews and over 133,000 words! Thanks to all who've read Make A Memory and I'll see you next time!<strong>

**Lots of Love, **

**Mxoxo**

**Ps~ There's a link to the Ohio Flash mob if you've never seen it before on my page!**

**PSS~ You never know but there maybe some one shots sitting on my hard drive of the Hotchner family...just saying...**


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